BR  1704  .G3 

Gates,  Herbert  Wright,  1868 

Heroes  of  the  faith 


THE     BIBLE     STUDY     UNION     LESSONS 

THE  COMPLETELY  GRADED  SERIES 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


y 
HERBERT  WRIGHT  GATES 


Charles  P.  Kent.  Ph.D.  1  ^ 

George  A.  Coe.  Ph.D.,  LL.D.    /  ^°"^"'''««  ^^''<"'^ 


C'HAkLE{5  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 
New  York 


Copyright  1909,  by  the  Bible  Study  Publishing  Co.,  Boston. 


Introduction 
LESSONS  m  THE  COURSE 


FIRST  QUARTER. 

Lesson    1.     Abraham.     About  18th  century  b.  c. 

A  Pioneer  of  the  Olden  Time     . 
Lesson    2.     David  Livingstone.     1813-1873. 

Missionary  and  Explorer 
Lesson    3.     David  Livingstone. 

A  Pioneer  in  Central  Africa 
Lesson    4.     Moses.     About  13th  century  b.  c. 

The  Liberator  of  the  Hebrews  . 
Lesson    5.     Moses. 

The  Hebrew  Lawgiver  and  Judge 
Lesson    6.     Harriet  Beecher  Sto we.     1811-1896. 

Who  Aroused  a  Nation's  Conscience  . 
Lesson    7.     Samuel  Chapman  Armstrong.     1839-1893. 

A  Pioneer  in  the  Education  of  the  Freedmen 
Lesson    8.     John  Howard.     1726-1790. 

The  Champion  of  Prison  Reform 
Lesson    9.     Florence  Nightingale.     1820-1910. 

A  Pioneer  in  the  Red  Cross  Movement 
Lesson  10.     Guido  Fridolin  Verbeck.     1830-1898. 

A  Citizen  of  no  Country  but  Honored  by  Three 
Lesson  11.     Guido  Fridolin  Verbeck. 

A  Pioneer  in  the  New  Civilization  of  Japan 
Lesson  12.     Review 


1 

6 

10 
15 
20 
24 
29 
36 
42 
48 

52 

67 


SECOND  QUARTER. 

Lesson  13.     Eluah.     9th  century  b.  c. 

Champion  of  Israel's  Faith  and  Popular  Liberties 
Lesson  14.     Amos.     8th  century-  b.  c. 

The  Herdsman  Prophet   . 
Lesson  15.     Jeremiah.     6th  century  b.  c. 

The  Enlightened  Conscience  of  Judah 
Lesson  16.     John  Wyclif.     1324-1384. 

"  The  Morning  Star  of  the  Reformation  ' 
Lesson  17.     Gibglamg  Savonarola.     1452-1498. 

The  Patriot  Priest  of  Italy 
Lesson  18.    Glrolamo  Savonarola. 

A  Prophet  who  Met  a  Prophet's  Fate 
Lesson  19.     Martin  Luther.     1483-1546. 

The  Hero  of  the  Protestant  Reformation 
Lesson  20.     Martin  Luther. 

The  Fearless  Foe  of  the  Papacy 
Lesson  21.     Gaspard  de  Coligny.     1517-1572. 

The  Leader  of  the  French  Huguenots 
Lesson  22.    John  Knox.     1505-1572. 

"  Who  Never  Feared  the  Face  of  Man  " 
Lesson  23.    John  Knox. 

The  Hero  of  the  Scottish  Refonnation 
Lesson  24.     Review 

Copyright,  1910,  by  the  Bible  Study  PubllBhlng  Company,  Boston. 


59 

64 

69 

75 

81 

85 

00 

05 

101 

106 

111 
116 


Lessons  in  the  Course 


THIRD  QUARTER. 

Lesson  25.    Paui..     Martyred  about  64  a.  d. 

The  Persecutor  who  Became  an  Apostle 
Lesson  26.     Paul. 

The  Founder  of  Christian  Missions     .... 
Lesson  27.     John  Eliot.     1604-1690. 

First  Preacher  to  the  Indians    .          .         .         . 
Lesson  28.     William  Carey.     1761-1834. 

The  Shoemaker  who  Became  "  The  Father  and  Founder  of 

Modern  Missions  "  ...... 

Lesson  29.     Adoniram  Judson.     1788-1850. 

Father  of  American  Foreign  Missionary  Enterprise 
Lesson  30.     Adoniram  Judson. 

The  Apostle  to  the  Burmans     ..... 
Lesson  31.     Marcus  Whitman.     1802-1847. 

Pioneer,  Missionary  and  Patriot         .... 
Lesson  32.     William  Taylor.     1821-1902. 

His  Preparation  for  a  World-wide  Mission  . 
Lesson  33.     William  Taylor. 

A  World-wide  Herald  of  the  Cross      .... 
Lesson  34.     JohnG.Paton.     1824-1907. 

A  Preacher  of  the  Gospel  to  Cannibals 
Lesson  35.     John  G.  Paton. 

The  Hero  of  the  New  Hebrides  .... 

Lesson  36.     Review       ......... 


119 
124 
129 

134 

140 

145 

149 

156 

161 

166 

171 
178 


FOURTH  QUARTER. 

Lesson  37,     Jonathan.     11th  century  b.  c. 

Who  Valued  Friendship  above  a  Throne 
Lesson  38.     Esther.     5th  century  b.  c. 

A  Heroine  of  the  Jewish  Captivity 
Lesson  39.    Judas  Maccabeus.     2d  century  b.  c. 

The  Last  of  the  Great  Hebrew  Generals 
Lesson  40.     Chinese  Gordon.     1833-1885. 

How  he  Became  a  "  Yellow  Jacket  " 
Lesson  41.     Chinese  Gordon. 

A  Modern  Sir  Galahad     . 
Lesson  42.     William  Penn.     1644-1718. 

A  Man  who  was  Fair 
Lesson  43.    George  T.  Angell.     1823-1909. 

Who  "  Spoke  for  Those  that  Cannot  Speak  for  Themselves 
Lesson  44.    Frances  E.  Willard.    1839-1898. 

A  Pioneer  in  the  Higher  Education  of  Women     . 
Lesson  46.    Frances  E.  Willard.  _ 

Leader  of  the  White  Ribbon  Host     .... 

Lesson  46.    Heroes  of  To-DAt.        .  .  . .      _ 

Men  who  Count  not  their  Lives  Dear  unto  Themselvei 
Lesson  47.    Hsroinbs  or  To-dav. 

Leaders  in  Loving  Service        .        .        »        .        . 
Lesson  48.    RMViaw 


179 

184 

190 

195 

200 

206 

211 

216 

220 

324 

230 
235 


Kote.  Each  year's  Work  is  planned  to  cover  forty-eight  lessons  only,  so  as  to 
iilow  for  Bpecial  lessons  or  general  exercises  for  Easter,  Children's  Day,  Rally  Sun- 
aay  and  Christmas.  Classes  in  schools  that  close  during  the  summer  will  arrange 
a  nine  months'  course  of  study  either  by  omitting  one  of  the  quarters  or,  better 
StilU  by  erpitting  from  the  entire  list  such  characters  as  the  teacher  or  class  may 
Suggest.  The  probability  that  they  will  be  read,  warrants  the  hope  that  iii  many 
(jasets  BUffijnient  interest  will  be  aroused  to  lead  to  their  further  study» 


TO  THE  PUPIL. 

This  course  of  study  aims  to  make  you  acquainted  with  a  few  of 
the  men  and  women  who  have  done  great  things.  Some  of  these 
persons  have  won  fame,  and  their  names  are  known  all  over  the 
earth.  Others  are  not  so  well  known,  but  all  have  tried  to  do  their 
duty,  each  in  his  own  way  and  his  own  place. 

It  is  worth  while  knowing  such  people.     We  would  have  been  glad 

to  know  them  in  life,  and  to  have  any  of  them  for  neighbors.     Although 

this  is  not  possible  for  us  now,  we  can  come  to  know  them  through 

their  works  and  the  influence  they  have  left  behind  them  in  the  world. 

And  as  our  poet  Longfellow  has  sung : 

"  Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us 
We  can  make  our  lives  sublime." 

Some  of  these  men  lived  long,  long  ago,  in  the  days  when  the  Bible 
was  written.  Some  of  them  lived  not  so  long  ago.  But  all  of  them 
honored  the  same  God  and  followed  the  guidance  of  His  spirit,  whether 
ages  ago  in  Palestine,  or  here  in  America.  For  God  still  speaks  to 
His  children  on  earth,  and  leads  them  no  less  truly  to-day  than  He 
did  in  the  days  of  Abraham  and  Moses. 

Each  lesson  will  give  you  a  story  about  the  character  that  is  to 
be  studied.  Read  this  carefully,  and  be  sure  that  you  understand  it. 
Following  the  story  you  will  find  questions  and  directions  for  further 
study  and  some  things  to  do.  Some  of  this  work  you  can  do  at  home, 
and  the  more  you  do  of  it,  the  greater  will  be  your  interest  in  the  whole 
lesson.  Most  important  of  all  are  the  questions  that  call  for  thought 
about  the  things  you  have  read.  Ask  questions  of  your  teacher  and 
parents  until  you  are  sure  you  have  all  the  information  you  need,  but 
be  careful  to  do  your  own  thinking.  If  you  are  asked  to  tell  what 
you  think  of  any  of  the  characters,  give  your  own  honest  judgment. 

Take  pains  to  make  your  note-book  as  neat  and  accurate  as  possible. 

The  characters  about  whom  you  are  studying  are  worthy  of  the  best 

work  you  can  do  in  studying  them,  and  you  will  be  proud  of  your 

work  only  if  it  is  worthy  of  them  and  of  yourself. 

*'  Ay,  let  us  tell  the  g'enerous  tale 
Of  giants  real  and  bold. 
Who  grew  so  great  they  would  not  stoop 
To  gather  fame  and  gold; 

"  But  hurled  the  mountains  from  our  path. 
And  drained  our  quagmires  dry. 
And  held  our  foes  at  bay  the  while 
They  bore  our  weaklings  by. 

••  Ah,  may  you  miss  the  dismal  tracks 
That  aimless  feet  have  trod. 
And  follow  where  our  pioneers 

Make  open  ways  to  God."  —   Vautier  Qolding. 


HEROES   OF  THE   FAITH 

INTERMEDIATE  GRADE 


FIRST  QUARTER 


Lesson  1.    ABRAHAM.    A  Pioneer  of  the  Olden  Time. 

Gen.  11:27 — 25:8.     About  18th  century  b.c. 
"By  faith  Abraham,  when  he  was  called,  obeyed."    Heb.  11:8. 

Abraham's  Early  Surroundings.  If  you  were  to  take  a 
voyage  across  the  seas  to  western  Asia  and  sail  up  from  the 
Indian  Ocean  into  the  Persian  Gulf,  and  then  about  a  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  up  the  Euphrates  river,  you  would  see  on  the 
right  bank  a  great  mound  which  at  first  you  might  think  to 
be  an  ordinary  hill.  But  on  looking  closely  you  would  suspect 
that  men  had  had  something  to  do  with  the  making  of  this 
hill.  You  would  be  right,  for  several  thousand  years  ago 
there  stood  here  a  great  city  called  Ur  of  the  Chaldees.  Prob- 
ably the  Persian  Gulf  then  reached  as  far  north  as  this,  so 
that  the  city  was  a  sea-port.  There  were  many  temples.  An 
inscription  found  among  the  ruins  tells  that  one  of  these 
was  built  by  Urukh,  king  of  Ur,  to  the  moon-god  Sin,  the 
chief  deity  whom  the  people  of  the  city  worshiped. 

Now  if  you  follow  the  Euphrates  about  five  hundred  miles 
farther  up  you  will  find  a  small  river,  the  BaHkh,  flowing  into 
it  from  the  north.  About  two  thirds  of  the  way  up  this  river 
there  stood  in  ancient  times  another  city  called  Haran. 
Extensive  mounds  on  both  sides  of  the  river  still  testify  to 
its  former  greatness.  It  was  a  busy  and  prosperous  place, 
and  the  people,  as  in  Ur,  worshiped  the  moon-god  Sin.  Here, 
we  are  told,  there  once  lived  a  man  named  Abraham,  who, 
according  to  some  accounts,  while  still  a  young  man,  came 
with  his  father  from  Ur.  Abraham  lived  in  Haran  until 
after  his  father's  death,  and  enjoyed  no  doubt  the  benefits 
of  a  rich  and  prosperous  civilization  that  was  the  best  of 
its  time. 

Abraham's  Migration  to  Canaan.  Along  the  southeastern 
coast  of  the  Mediterranean  lies  a  region  about  the  size  of 

1 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Vermont,  which  in  Abraham's  time  was  occupied  by  wander- 
ing tribes  known  as  Canaanites.  The  land  itself  was  called 
Canaan,  but  whether  it  took  its  name  from  the  people,  or 
from  the  fact  that  ,"  Canaanite  "  means  "  dweller  of  the  low 
country,"  is  not  known.  What  the  immediate  motive  was 
that  turned  Abraham's  steps  in  that  direction  is  not  stated. 


Ekolish  MitKS 


fiO        100 

—     ^%^'/\'^  COPYRIGHT,   ^^(m.,  BtgtE  STVPY  f  B^  C0>      40' 


Map  for  Tracing  Abraham's  Journeys, 

He  seems  to  have  thought  that  by  going  out  into  this  new 
country  he  might  be  able  to  benefit  the  world  at  large.  What- 
ever may  have  been  his  thoughts  in  the  matter,  he  recognized 
the  voice  of  God  not  only  bidding  him  to  go,  but  promising 
great  blessings  to  himself,  and  telling  him  that  he  would  be- 
come a  blessing  to  the  world.  And  so  with  his  wife.,  his  ser- 
vants, his  nephew  Lot,  and  their  flocks  and  herds  Abraham 
started  for  new  regions. 

It  must  have  been  hard  for  him  to  turn  his  back  on  his 
home  and  friends  and  set  out  for  this  unknown  land.  "  His 
neighbors  no  doubt  thought  him  foolish.  Men  who  are  real 
leaders,  who  strike  out  for  themselves,  usually  have  to  meet 


Abraham — Lesson  One  S 

ridicule.     But  Abraham's  faith  was  great  enough  for  him  to 
make  the  effort. 

At  almost  every  place  where  Abraham  stopped  he  built  an 
altar  to  God  and  worshiped  Him.  These  altars  remained 
for  many  years  afterwards,  and  other  people  came  to  worship 
by  them,  until  these  places  came  to  be  known  as  sacred, 
and  shrines  were  built  at  many  of  them. 

Abraham  and  Lot.  Abraham  owned  a  multitude  of  sheep 
and  cattle,  and  his  nephew,  Lot,  also  had  a  great  many.  In 
course  of  time  they  had  increased  so  that  there  was  not 
pasturage  for  all  the  flocks  and  herds  in  any  one  place.  One 
day  Abraham  took  Lot  to  the  top  of  a  hill  from  which  they 
could  see  the  country  for  a  long  distance,  and  said  to  him, 
"  Look  over  the  land  and  pick  out  for  yourself  the  place 
which  you  like  best,  and  I  will  go  to  some  other  place."  This 
first  choice  really  belonged  to  Abraham,  as  the  older  man  and 
the  head  of  the  family;  but  the  younger  man  selfishly  chose 
the  best  pasture  lands,  and  Abraham  let  him  have  them. 

Not  long  after  this,  four  chieftains  from  the  desert  made 
a  raid  into  the  region  in  which  Lot  had  settled  and  carried 
him  with  many  others  into  captivity.  One  who  escaped 
brought  the  news  to  Abraham.  When  he  had  overtaken 
and  defeated  them,  he  set  free  not  only  Lot  but  all  the  other 
captives.  With  his  usual  generosity  he  refused  a  reward  for 
this  service. 

The  Sacrifice  of  Isaac.  There  w^ere  a  great  many  strange 
and  cruel  customs  practised  in  those  early  days  in  the  name 
of  religion.  One  of  the  worst  of  these  was  the  sacrificing  of 
children  to  the  gods.  Abraham  had  been  accustomed  to  see 
these  sacrifices,  and  it  seemed  to  him  that  he  ought  to  show 
honor  to  God  by  sacrificing  his  only  son,  Isaac,  whom  he  loved 
with  all  his  heart.  This  was  a  sad  day  for  him,  but  he  made 
his  preparations  for  it  w^ithout  flinching.  As  he  went  to  the 
place  where  he  was  to  perform  the  sacrifice,  no  doubt  the 
question  arose  in  his  mind  whether  a  really  just  and  holy 
God  could  ask  so  terrible  a  thing.  This  questioning  no 
doubt  helped  to  prepare  him  for  the  higher  revelation  of 
God's  character  that  came  to  him  when  he  had  laid  Isaac  on 
the  altar  and  lifted  the  knife  to  slay  him.  "  Lift  not  thy  hand 
upon  the  lad,"  came  to  him  as  if  it  were  a  voice  from  heaven. 
Gladly  he  dropped  the  knife  and  unbound  his  beloved  son. 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


\  sUroogiipn,  eopyrighted  by  tJniierwood  &  Underwood,  N.  T. 

Mosque  at  Hebron. 

This  mosque  is  supposed  to  cover  the  cave  of  Mach- 

pelah.    Many  persone  believe  that  the  remains  of  the 

patriarchs  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  are  still  here,  and 

will  eventually  be  brought  to  light. 


His  devotion  had  been  Rested  to  the  utmost,  and  it  had  not 
failed.     He  now  felt  convinced  that  God  was  not  pleased  with 

a  sacrifice  of  this  kind. 
This  conviction  was  deep- 
ened by  the  discovery  of  a 
ram  caught  in  the  bushes, 
just  where  he  had  been  in- 
tending to  sacrifice  his  son. 
He  recognized  God's  hand 
in  this  also,  and  saw  that 
God  had  been  leading  him 
by  the  path  of  obedience  to 
a  better  knowledge  of  what 
was  right.  He  joyfully 
availed  himself  of  the  sub- 
stitute sacrifice  that  God 
had  sent,  and  the  crime  of 
human  sacrifice  was  forever 
banished  from  his  religious 
life,  and,  with  rare  exceptions,  from  the  religious  practices  of 
his  descendants. 

The  Significance  of  Abraham's  Life.  By  his  courage  and 
faith  in  God  Abraham  became  the  founder  of  a  great  race, 
the  Hebrews.  He  started  a  movement  which  resulted  in 
giving  the  world  a  purer  religion  and  a  nobler  idea  of  God 
than  men  had  ever  had  before.  David,  the  great  king,  the 
long  line  of  heroic  old  prophets,  and,  finally,  Jesus  Himself, 
our  Lord  and  Saviour,  came  from  this  race.  All  this  came 
about,  because  Abraham  so  long  ago  had  the  courage  and 
faith  in  God  to  take  the  first  pioneer  step  in  becoming  a  bless- 
ing to  the  world, 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  Gen.  11:31 — 12:5,  and  write  in  the  blank  space 

following  the  names  of  Abraham's  father, his  wife, 

,  his  nephew 

2.  Read  Gen.  12:6-10;  13:1-18,  and  find  what  is  necessary 
to  fill  in  the  blanks  in  the  following  story. 

Abraham  left  his  home  in  Haran,  when  God  wished  him  to 


Abraham — Lesson  One  5 

do  so,  and  journeyed  to  a  place  called ,  where 

was   the of These    oaks,  or  terebinths, 

were  regarded  as  sacred  trees,  and  people  used  to  worship 
under   them.     The    people    living   around    him   were    called 

Then  he  moved  to  a 

on  the  east  of ,  where  he  built  an and 

worshiped  Jehovah.     Soon  afterward,  there  was  a 

in  the  land,  and  Abraham  went  down  into From 

here  he  returned  to  Palestine  and  went  back  to 

After  a  time  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  separate  from 

because  there  was  not  room  enough  for  their  flocks  in 

any  one  place.     He  gave  his  nephew  the  first  choice,  and 

chose  the of  the which  was  well  wa- 
tered, and  made  his  home  near Abraham  moved 

to by   the   oaks   of ,   where   he   built 

another 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

3.  Draw  in  your  note-book  an  enlarged  outline  map  of  southwestern 
Asia  (see  map  on  p.  2),  and  trace  on  it  the  journeys  of  Abraham,  as 
given  above. 

4.  Read  the  stories  of  Abraham's  adventures  given  in  Gen.  chs. 
13,  14,  18  and  22,  and  write  a  story  of  the  one  you  like  best. 

5.  Name  any  other  person,  either  in  the  Bible  or  in  modem  life, 
that  you  think  resembles  Abraham. 

6.  Select,  from  such  pictures  as  you  can  find,  the  one  you  prefer 
to  illustrate  this  lesson  with,  and  paste  that  in  your  note-book. 

7.  Write  underneath  this  picture  what  the  author  of  Hebrews  said 
about  Abraham  in  11 :8-10. 

8.  In  another  paragraph  in  your  book  write  Abraham's  tmits  at 
character  that  you  would  like  best  to  have  yourself, 

MEMORY  WORK. 
Learn  by  heart  Heb.  11 : 8- 10. 


6  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

Lesson  2.     DAVID  LIVINGSTONE.    Missionary  and  Explorer. 

Born  March  19,  1813;  died  May  4,  1873. 

"I  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  saying,  Whom  shall  I  send?  .  .  . 
Then  I  said,  Here  am  I;  send  me."     Is.  6:8. 

Livingstone's  Boyhood.  Every  boy  or  girl  who  has  been  in 
the  woods  knows  something  of  the  delights  of  exploring. 
Every  new  turn  of  the  path  has  something  of  uncertainty  in  it. 
You  never  know  what  you  may  come  upon  around  the  turn. 
All  this  is  fine  play.  But  suppose  you  were  in  one  of  the  track- 
less forests  of  Africa,  where  a  good  part  of  the  way  leads 
through  swamps  into  which  you  sink  to  your  knees,  where  you 
are  tormented  by  poisonous  insects;  where  malignant  fever  is 
in  the  air,  where  you  are  surrounded  by  lions,  crocodiles,  leop- 
ards and  other  fierce  beasts  and  reptiles,  and  where  you  are  in 
the  midst  of  strange  and  repulsive  people  who  often  prove 
treacherous  and  savage  enemies.  This  exploring  is  very  dif- 
ferent from  the  kind  you  have  done.  David  Livingstone  faced 
all  these  and  many  more  dangers,  not  for  pay  nor  for  profit, 
but  for  the  love  of  his  fellow  men  and  the  desire  to  help  them. 

You  will  want  to  know  what  kind  of  boy  grew  into  such  a 
man.  David's  parents  lived  on  a  little  barren  island  called 
Ulva,  off  the  west  coast  of  Scotland,  close  to  the  island  of 
Mull.  His  father  was  Neil  Livingstone,  an  honest,  hard- 
working man,  interested  in  all  that  went  on  in  the  world.  His 
mother  was  Agnes  Hunter,  whose  ancestors  had  been  driven 
from  their  homes  to  caves  in  the  hills,  braving  torture  and 
death  rather  than  do  what  they  believed  to  be  wrong.  From 
Ulva  they  moved  to  Blantyre,  a  village  about  eight  miles 
southeast  of  Glasgow.  Here  David  was  born,  and  here  at  ten 
years  of  age  he  went  to  work  in  a  cotton  mill,  for  the  Living- 
stones were  poor.  The  training  to  endure  hardship  thus  began 
early.  Every  week-day,  he  had  to  be  at  his  place  from  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning  until  eight  or  nine  at  night,  with  little 
time  for  meals.  Most  boys  would  have  lost  pluck  and  health 
under  the  strain,  but  David  was  made  of  sturdy  stuff  and  stood 
it  bravely. 

His  first  earnings  he  took  home  to  his  mother.  When  he 
was  able  to  lay  by  money  for  himself  he  bought  good  books, 
and  read  them  while  at  work.  But  he  never  neglected  his 
work  for  the  reading.  After  the  day's  work  was  over  he  went 
to  night  school  and  after  that  studied  until  his  mother  fairly 


David  Livingstone — Lesson  Two  7 

drove  him  to  bed.  Do  not  think  that  he  was  always  poring 
over  books.  No  boy  could  beat  him  at  swimming  or  tramp- 
ing, and  he  roamed  over  the  countryside  about  Blantyre  until 
he  came  to  know  every  bird  and  flower. 

Livingstone^s  Decision  to  Become  a  Missionary.     As  the 

years  went  by  David  grew  restless.  He  was  fond  of  reading 
about  men  like  Henry  Martyn,  the  young  missionary  to  India, 
and  about  Charles  Gutzlaff,  medical  missionary  to  China — 
men  who  did  great  things — and  he  wished  to  be  like  them. 
From  these  books  he  also  learned  of  the  wonders  of  those  lands 
and  this  awoke  in  him  the  spirit  of  travel  and  exploration. 
One  evening  as  he  sat  watching  the  sunset  lights  die  away  on 
the  hills,  and  the  stars  coming  out  in  the  heavens,  and  think- 
ing how  beautiful  God's  world  was,  he  thought  of  the  trouble 
and  sorrow  created  by  men's  selfishness  and  greed,  and  he 
remembered  how  once,  in  the  stillness  of  the  evening,  Jesus 
had  gone  into  an  olive  grove,  and  there  wept  in  bitter  grief 
over  the  troubles  and  sins  of  men.  Then  and  there  it  sud- 
denly flashed  upon  him  that  he  ought  to  do  all  in  his  power  to 
help  his  fellow  men.  He  walked  home  with  eager  haste,  and 
that  night  told  his  parents  that  he  was  going  to  Glasgow  to 
study  medicine  and  then  go  out  to  the  far  East  to  help  the 
sick  and  suffering  who  had  no  one  to  help  them. 

It  was  a  hard  struggle  for  a  poor  boy  to  earn  his  way  through 
the  university,  but  he  triumphed  over  all  difficulties,  and 
finally  secured  his  doctor's  diploma,  and  was  ordained  as  a 
missionary. 

How  Livingstone  was  Drawn  to  Unexplored  Africa.  Living- 
stone, had  intended  to  go  to  China,  but  the  opium  war  pre- 
vented him.  It  was  a  great  disappointment.  One  day,  how- 
ever, he  met  Robert  Moffat,  a  noted  missionary,  and  heard 
him  say  that  from  a  single  hill-top  in  Africa  he  had  seen  the 
smoke  of  a  thousand  villages  where  no  missionary  had  ever 
been.  That  fired  David's  blood,  and  he  asked  Dr.  Moffat  if 
he  thought  there  might  be  a  chance  for  him  to  do  good  work 
there.  The  reply  was,  "  Yes,  if  you  do  not  settle  down  where 
the  missionaries  already  are,  but  push  out  into  the  unexplored 
regions."  With  his  usual  energy  Livingstone  decided  at  once 
to  go  to  Africa,  and  before  long  was  on  his  way. 

Livingstone's  Early  Explorations  in  Africa.  At  Cape  Town 
Livingstone  was  offered  a  position  that  would  have  paid  him 


d 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


well,  but  he  remembered  the  villages  where  no  missionary  had 
been,  and  pressed  on  toward  the  north.  At  Kuruman,  Dr. 
Moffat's  station,  he  married  Mary  Moffat,  a  daughter  of  the 
great  missionary.  He  traveled  over  trackless  regions  in  an 
ox- wagon,  or  on  a  riding  ox,  and  often  on  foot.  The  natives 
at  first  thought  that  he  could  not  stand  the  hard  journey  be- 
cause he  was  not  as  big  as  they.  That  roused  his  grit,  and  he 
soon  tired  them.  His  way  was  beset  by  dangers.  Once  a 
rhinoceros  made  him  fly  for  his  life,  while  she  smashed  his 
wagon  with  one  thrust  of  her  ugly  horn.  At  another  time  he 
was  attacked  by  a  lion  and  had  his  arm  crushed  by  a  savage 
bite.  He  would  have  been  killed  had  it  not  been  for  the 
timely  interference  of  a  native.  All  sorts  of  perils  and  dis- 
couragements surrounded  him,  but  what  most  saddened  his 
heart  was  to  see  everywhere  the  cruelties  of  the  slave  trade; 
men,  women  and  children  taken  captive  and  chained  together, 
then  driven  in  long  gangs  to  be  sold.  Livingstone  resolved  to 
stop  this  evil  if  possible,  and  worked  harder  than  ever  to  let 
people  know  what  was  going  on  in  the  interior  of  this  land.     It 

seemed  that  the 
first  thing  to  be 
done  for  Africa 
was,  not  to  settle 
down  in  one  place 
and  try  to  convert 
a  few  natives,  but 
to  open  up  the  in- 
terior to  trade  and 
commerce,  and  to 
persuade  Christian 
colonists  to  come 
there  ana  show 
the  natives  how 
to  live  better.  He 
therefore  decided 
to  find  some  way 
from  the  interior  to 
the  west  coast,  for 
unless  good  roads 
were  opened  to 
healthful  places,  people  would  not  come.  So  he  began  a  life 
of  travel  and  exploration  that  was  to  test  all  the  heroism  in 


OUTLINE  MAP  OF 

SOUTHERN  AFRICA 

0  '  2D0         .400 


David  Livingstone — Lesson  Two  9 

him.  With  an  English  hunter  named  Oswell  and  some  natives, 
Livingstone  and  his  family  traveled  northward  until,  after 
several  failures,  he  came  to  Lake  Ngami,  which  no  white  man 
had  ever  seen  before.  They  could  get  no  farther  for  two  or  three 
years.  Finally  he  had  to  send  his  wife  and  children  to  England, 
to  save  them  from  the  hardships  that  must  be  met  in  carrying 
out  this  work.  Then  he  went  on,  lonely  at  heart,  with  his  faith- 
ful black  men.  After  difficulties  of  almost  every  imaginable 
kind,  having  faced  death  over  and  over  again,  he  reached  St. 
Paul  de  Loanda,  in  Portuguese  country  on  the  west  coast  of 
Africa.  He  was  weakened  by  fever,  reduced  almost  to  a  skele- 
ton, and  bitterly  disappointed  at  finding  no  news  from  home. 
A  ship  was  there  about  to  sail  for  England,  and  Livingstone 
was  urged  to  go  home  for  rest.  He  needed  it  sorely,  but  he  had 
given  his  word  to  some  native  guides  and  helpers  who  had  come 
a  long  distance  with  him  that  he  would  return  over  the  same 
route  with  them  to  their  home.  Rather  than  be  untrue  to 
them  he  faced  once  more  all  the  dangers  and  wearisomeness  of 
that  dreadful  journey.  It  is  no  wonder  that  the  black  men 
loved  and  honored  Livingstone,  for  they  soon  found  that, 
though  other  men  deceived  and  wronged  them,  they  could 
trust  him. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Where  is  the  island  of  Ulva?  the  village  of  Blantyre? 
{Find  them  on  a  map  of  Scotland.) 

2.  The  ancestors  of  David  Livingstone's  mother  belonged 
to  a  religious  body  called  Covenanters.  Find  out  what  you 
can  about  them  from  encyclopaedias  or  histories  of  Scotland. 
What  kind  of  stories  do  you  think  his  mother  would  tell  him 
about  them? 

3.  Do  you  think  it  was  right  for  Livingstone  to  go  back  into 
Africa  from  St.  Paul  de  Loanda,  or  should  he  have  gone  home 
when  he  was  so  ill .'' 

4.  Read  at  least  one  good  book  about  Livingstone.  One  of 
the  best  is  The  Story  of  David  Livingstone,  by  Vautier  Golding. 
Another  is  David  Livingstone,  by  Thomas  Hughes,  who  wrote 
Tom  Brown's  Schooldays. 

NOTE-BiDOK  WORK. 

5.  Sketch  an  enlarged  outline  map  of  South  Africa  (see  map  on 
p.  8),  and  trace  on  it  Livingstone's  journeys  as  far  as  indicated  in 


10  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

this  lesson.  Start  from  Cape  Town  at  the  southern  extremity  of 
Africa,  and  run  a  line  northeast  to  Kuruman;  then  to  the  head  waters 
of  the  Limpopo  river.  At  this  point  Livingstone's  work  as  an  explorer 
began.  Next  run  the  line  northwest  to  Lake  Ngami,  and  north  to 
Sech^le  on  the  Zambesi  river.  Thence  the  line  follows  the  Zambesi 
to  its  head  waters,  and  westward  to  St.  Paul  de  Loanda.  From 
Loanda  it  returns  for  the  most  part  by  the  same  way,  following  the 
Zambesi,  on  which  Livingstone  discovered  the  famous  Victoria  Falls. 
When  near  the  eastern  coast,  the  line  leaves  the  river  and  runs  east- 
ward to  Quilimane.  This  journey  and  those  described  in  the  next 
lesson  may  be  indicated  by  different  colored  pencils  or  inks. 

6.  Select  a  page  in  your  note-book  for  the  story  of  Livingstone, 
and  write  down  what  most  interests  you  in  his  boyhood. 

7.  Write  in  your  note-book  the  story  of  any  later  deed  or  adventure 
in  Livingstone's  life  that  particularly  impresses  you. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Commit  to  memory  Ps.  15:1,  2. 


Lesson  3.    DAVID  LIVINGSTONE.    A  Pioneer  in  Central 

Africa. 

"  I  hold  not  my  life  of  any  account  ...  so  that  I  may  accomplish 
my  course."     Acts  20:24. 

Livingstone's  Work  as  an  Explorer.  The  story  of  Living- 
stone's travels  in  Africa  falls  naturally  into  three  main  divi- 
sions. The  first  covers  his  travels  as  a  missionary,  in  the 
course  of  which  he  found  a  way  from  Cape  Town  to  Loanda 
on  the  west  coast  and  then  went  down  the  Zambesi  river  to  the 
east  coast  (see  previous  lesson).  The  second  covers  his  work 
in  exploring  the  Valley  of  the  Zambesi  and  the  shores  of  Lake 
Nyassa;  and  the  third  covers  his  attempts  to  find  the  sources 
of  the  Congo  and  the  Nile  in  the  country  north  of  the  Zam- 
besi. On  all  these  journeys  he  met  dangers  and  difficulties 
that  would  have  discouraged  a  less  heroic  man  and  sent  him 
back  home.  Not  only  did  he  have  to  face  savage  beasts, 
and  equally  savage  men  in  the  unhealthy  wilderness  of  Africa, 
but  he  had  to  meet  unfair  criticism  and  faultfinding  at  home. 
Some  people  criticised  him  because  they  thought  he  was  not 
enough  of  a  missionary,  by  which  they  meant  that  he  did  not 
preach  enough.  So  he  quietly  withdrew  from  the  Missionary 
Society  and  went  as  a  Christian  explorer,  doing  what  he 


David  Livingstone — Lesson  Three  11 

honestly  thought  God  wanted  him  to  do.  In  it  all  he  was  not 
only  brave  but  wonderfully  patient  and  gentle.  Once  only 
did  he  seem  for  a  moment  to  lose  heart,  and  that  was  when  his 
dearly  loved  wife,  who  had  rejoined  him,  died,  and  he  had  to 
bury  her  in  the  heart  of  Africa  and  then  go  on  alone. 

All  this  time  he  was  using  the  powers  of  observation  that  he 
had  cultivated  when  a  boy,  and  was  learning  a  great  deal  about 
the  country.  He  wrote  two  large  books  which  taught  the 
world  more  than  had  ever  been  known  about  Africa.  Besides 
this  he  kept  extensive  notes  and  journals  of  immense  scien- 
tific value.  But  in  all  this  he  had  one  thought  always  upper- 
most, namely,  that  by  opening  up  this  country  and  telling 
the  people  of  Christian  England  what  wa§  taking  place  there, 
he  might  persuade  his  countrymen  to  put  a  stop  to  the  inde- 
scribable horrors  of  the  slave  trade,  and  bring  to  the  neglected 
natives  of  Africa  the  benefits  of  Christian  civilization. 

Livingstone's  Work  Honored.  When  Livingstone  returned 
to  England  for  the  first  time,  after  his  missionary  journeys,  he 
found  himself  the  most  famous  man  of 
the  land.  Learned  societies  held  special 
meetings  to  hear  him  speak,  the  royal 
family  received  him,  he  was  fairly  show- 
ered with  the  most  distinguished  honors 
that  his  country  could  give  him,  and  yet 
through  it  all  he  remained  unspoiled, 
simple,  modest,  where  most  men  would 
have  been  made  conceited  and  proud. 
He  was  with  the  Turkish  ambassador 
once  when  the  crowd  cheered  him. 
Livingstone  said,  "  These  cheers  are  for 
you."  The  ambassador  replied,  "  No,  I 
am  only  what  my  master  made  me;  you 
are  what  you  have  made  yourself."  ^^"'^  Lxvingstone. 

But  after  all,  the  love  and  respect  that  most  deeply  touched 
Livingstone's  heart,  and  for  which  he  cared  the  most,  was  that 
which  he  received  from  the  simple-minded  blacks  in  Africa. 
They  came  to  call  him  "  Father."  Once  when  some  of  the 
slave  traders,  too  cowardly  to  attack  Livingstone  themselves, 
tried  to  get  some  of  the  natives  to  kill  him,  they  replied,  "  No, 
he  is  the  Good  One;  we  will  not  kill  him."  By  his  kindly 
Christian  spirit  and  unselfish  deeds  Livingstone  won  the  hearts 


12  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

of  these  untaught  black  men,  and  turned  many  of  them  from 
blood-thirsty  savages  to  loyal  followers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Livingstone's  Last  Journey  and  his  Death.  The  last  of  his 
journeys,  in  search  of  the  Nile  and  Congo  sources,  were  the 
most  severe  of  all,  seven  long  years  of  hardship  and  sickness. 
For  two  and  three  years  at  a  time  he  saw  no  white  face  nor 
heard  from  home.  Twice  expeditions  were  sent  out  to  find 
him,  and  one  of  these  found  him  just  in  time  to  save  his  life. 
And  all  the  while  he  was  writing  the  most  thrilling  letters, 
describing  the  atrocities  of  the  slave  trade,  and  begging  the 
English  government  to  stop  it.  He  told  of  long  lines  of  men 
and  women  chained  together  and  driven  until  they  fell  from 
exhaustion.  He  told  of  finding  those  who  could  no  longer 
walk  tied  to  trees  and  left  to  starve.  When  these  tales  of 
inhumanity  and  cruelty  finally  reached  England,  and  were 
printed,  they  aroused  not  only  England  but  all  Europe  to  put 
down  the  slave  trade  and  its  attendant  atrocities. 

Livingstone  was  now  getting  to  be  an  old  man,  sixty  years 
of  age,  and  many  urged  him  to  come  home  and  rest.  But  he 
had  promised  to  find  the  sources  of  the  Nile  and  open  up  that 
country,  and  on  he  went.  His  faithful  bearers,  who  loved 
him  devotedly,  did  all  they  could  to  take  care  of  him,  and 
carried  him  mile  after  mile  through  marsh  and  flood  in  the 
swinging  chair.  At  last  they  came  to  the  village  of  a  chief 
named  Chitambo,  near  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Bangweolo. 
As  Livingstone  was  too  ill  to  go  further,  they  built  a  hut  and 
laid  him  gently  in  it.  Susi,  one  of  his  devoted  attendants, 
cared  for  him  all  next  day,  and  at  night  Majwara,  another  of 
his  tried  followers,  stood  guard  outside  the  door.  At  mid- 
night Majwara  called,  "  Come  to  Bwana  (Master),  Susi,  I  am 
afraid."  They  crept  quietly  into  the  hut,  and  saw  their  loved 
master,  upon  his  knees  beside  his  bed  where  he  had  been  pray- 
ing, but  his  soul  had  gone  home  to  his  Master. 

So  passed  away  one  of  those  rare  spirits  whose  self-devotion, 
patient  endurance,  boundless  courage,  and  unflinching  energy 
have  enabled  them  to  open  new  paths  for  the  progress  of  the 
human  race.  Livingstone's  wisdom  in  devoting  himself  to 
this  pioneer  work  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  it  has  inspired 
thousands  to  carry  on  the  enlightening,  civiHzing,  and  evan- 
gelizing mission  to  which  he  gave  his  life.  "  It  is  a  brave  thing 
to  die  for  one's  fellow  men;  it  is  also  brave,  and  often  harder, 
to  live  for  them.     Livingstone  did  both." 


David  Livingstone — Lesson  Three  13 

Livingstone's  Resting-place  in  Westminster  Abbey.  Living- 
stone's faithful  bearers  determined  that  their  master's  body 
should  go  back  to  his  own  people.  The  heart  they  buried 
under  the  mvula  tree.  The  body  was  embalmed  as  ♦veil 
as  they  were  able.  Then,  carefully  wrapped,  they  carried  it 
to  Bagamoyo  near  Zanzibar,  a  hard  and  perilous  journey  of 
more  than  800  miles.  With  saddened  hearts  his  friends 
brought  his  body  back  to  England,  where  the  highest  mark 
of  honor  that  can  be  given  to  any  one  at  death  in  Eng- 
land was  paid  by  burial  in  Westminster  Abbey,  where  all 
the  kings  and  most  famous  Englishmen  are  buried.  From 
every  hand  came  tributes  of  sorrow  and  respect,  and  one  of  the 
English  papers  (Punch)  published  this  poem: 

"  Droop,  half-mast  colors;  bow,  bareheaded  crowds, 
As  this  plain  coffin  o'er  the  side  is  slung, 
To  pass  by  woods  of  masts  and  ratlined  shrouds. 
As  erst  by  Afric's  trunks,  liana-hung. 

**  'Tis  the  last  mile  of  many  thousands  trod 

With  failing  strength,  but  never  failing  will. 
By  the  worn  frame,  now  at  its  rest  with  God, 
That  never  rested  from  its  fight  with  ill. 

*'  Or  if  the  ache  of  travel  and  of  toil 

Would  sometimes  wring  a  short,  sharp  cry  of  pain 
From  agony  of  fever,  blain,  and  boil, 

'Twas  but  to  crush  it  down,  and  on  again  I 

**  He  knew  not  that  the  trumpet  he  had  blown 
Out  of  the  darkness  of  that  dismal  land, 
Had  reached  and  roused  an  army  of  its  own 

To  strike  the  chains  from  the  slave's  fettered  hand. 

**  Now  we  believe  he  knows,  sees  all  is  well — 

How  God  had  stayed  his  will  and  shaped  his  way 
To  bring  the  light  to  those  that  darkling  dwell 
With  gains  that  life's  devotion  well  repay. 

**  Open  the  Abbey  doors,  and  bear  him  in 

To  sleep  with  king  and  statesman,  chief  and  sage, 
The  missionary  come  of  weaver-kin, 

But  great  by  work  that  brooks  no  lower  wage. 

**  He  needs  no  epitaph  to  guard  a  name 

Which  men  shall  prize  while  worthy  work  is  known; 
He  lived  and  died  for  good — be  that  his  fame; 
Let  marble  crumble;  this  is  Uvixur. stone.*' 


14  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 
1    Read  1  Cor.  13:4-7,  and  fill  out  the  following  blanks. 
In  these  verses  Paul  has  described  the  virtues  that  Love 
brings  to  men.     Some  of  these  virtues  that  Livingstone  had 


are  (i) shown   by. 

{2) ,  shown   by 


(List  as  many  as  you  can  think  of,  naming  with  each  one 
some  incident  that  appears  to  illustrate  the  virtue  mentioned.) 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

2.  On  the  outline  map  of  Africa  in  your  note-book  trace  the  general 
course  of  Livingstone's  second  and  third  journeys,  as  follows:  (7) 
Draw  a  line  from  Quilimane  to  Tete,  then  to  Victoria  Falls  and  back 
to  Tete,  and  thence  northward  along  the  western  shore  of  Lake  Nyassa 
to  near  its  northern  extremity;  (2)  from  the  lower  end  of  Lake  Nyassa 
to  the  lower  end  of  Lake  Tanganyika,  thence  past  Lake  Mweru  to 
Lake  Bangweolo,  then  back  to  Lake  Tanganyika  up  its  western  coast 
and  across  to  Ujiji,  thence  recrossing  the  lake  continue  the  line  to  the 
Lualaba  River,  and  back  to  Ujiji,  where  Livingstone  was  found  by 
Stanley  and  with  him  explored  the  northern  end  of  the  lake;  thence, 
finally,  along  the  eastern  shore  of  Tanganyika  to  the  southern  shore 
of  Lake  Bangweolo,  where  Livingstone  died. 

3.  Write  in  your  note-book  some  of  the  best  things  that  Livingstone 
taught  the  world. 

4.  Write  a  short  paragraph  giving  your  judgment  of  his  character. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  for  use  as  a  declamation  the  poetic  tribute  to  Livingstone 
given  in  the  lesson  story. 


Moses — Lesson  Four 


15 


Lesson  4.     MOSES.     The  Liberator  of  the  Hebrews. 

Ex.  clis.  1-15,     About  13th  century  n.c. 

"  By  faith  Moses  .  .  .  [chose]  rather  to  share  ill  treatment  with 
.the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin."  Heb  11- 
24,  25. 

The  Birth  and  Childhood  of  Moses.  You  have  heard  the 
story  of  the  little  basket  boat  hidden  in  the  reeds  by  the  river's 
bank,  and  the  baby  lying  safe 
within,  while  his  sister  watched 
near  by.  I  think  that  you  know 
who  this  baby  was,  and  that  it  was 
to  save  him  from  being  thrown 
to  the  crocodiles  of  the  Nile,  as 
Pharaoh  had  ordered,  that  his 
mother  made  this  little  ark  and 
put  him  in  it.  I  am  not  so  sure, 
however,  that  every  one  knows 
who  his  father  and  mother  were,  or 
the  name  of  the  sister  who  watched 
him  so  faithfully;  yet  this  is  worth 
knowing,  for  this  baby  became  the 
great  teacher  of  his  people,  "  Moses 
the  liberator,"  and  those  who  help 
to  bring  up  a  great  man  deserve 
this  much  honor  at  least.  At  the 
end  of  this  story  you  will  find  a 
place  to  Write  their  names,  after 
you  have  learned  them. 

Moses. was  a  Hebrew,  one  of  the 
same  race  that  Abraham  wished  to  make  a  blessing  to  the 
world,  and  he  had  much  to  do  with  helping  to  make  Abraham's 
wish  come  true.  The  days  of  his  childhood  were  dark  days  for 
the  Hebrews,  or  "  children  of  Israel,"  as  they  are  often  called 
in  the  Bible  stories.  They  were  slaves,  held  in  cruel  bondage. 
The  old  monuments  of  Egypt  still  preserve  pictures  of  Egyp- 
tian slaves  doing  heavy  tasks  under  the  lash  of  brutal  masters. 
But  in  spite  of  this  ill  treatment  the  Hebrews  increased  until 
their  masters  began  to  fear  that  they  might  become  so  numer- 
ous as  to  be  able  some  day  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  bondage. 
It  was  this  fear  which  led  to  the  cruel  decree  that  every  baby 
boy  bom  to  the  Hebrews  should  be  thrown  into  the  river. 


Colossal  statue  of  Rameses  II. 

The  Pharaoh  of  the  Oppression,  in  the 
doorway  of  a  temple  at  Thebes. 


16  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

When  the  mother  of  Moses  could  no  longer  hide  him  from 
the  Egyptians,  she  felt  that  she  must  trust  him  to  the  care 
of  God  alone.  That  is  why  she  put  her  babe  into  the  basket 
boat,  and  set  it  afloat  among  the  river  reeds.  Safe  and 
sound  he  lay  there,  for  the  great  God  who  rules  in  heaven  had 
work  for  this  little  lad  to  do,  and  every  one  is  safe  in  God's 
care.  So  there  he  lay,  gently  rocking  on  the  waves,  until 
the  princess  from  the  royal  palace  came  that  way  to  bathe, 
and  one  of  her  maidens  found  the  child.  You  have  heard, 
no  doubt,  how  the  princess  took  pity  on  the  little  waif  and 
decided  to  adopt  him.  Just  here  the  quick  wit  of  Moses' 
sister,  who  had  been  watching  from  a  distance,  served  him  a 
good  turn.  Running  up  to  the  princess,  she  said,  "  Shall  I 
call  one  of  the  Hebrew  women  to  nurse  the  child  for  you?" 
Permission  was  given,  and  she  called  her  mother.  So  Moses 
grew  up  under  the  protection  of  the  royal  family.  He  was 
given  a  good  education,  and  the  best  part  of  it  was  the  stories 
told  to  him  by  his  mother  of  the  glorious  history  and  hopes  of 
his  own  people. 

A  Chivalrous  Spirit.  Moses  grew  to  manhood,  strong  in 
body  and  mind,  with  a  chivalrous  spirit  quick  to  sympathize 
with  any  who  were  in  trouble.  One  day  when  he  was  living 
at  court  as  the  princess'  adopted  son,  he  saw  an  Egyptian 
mistreating  one  of  the  Hebrews.  He  ran  to  help  the  weaker 
party,  and,  in  defending  him,  killed  the  Egyptian.  This  be- 
came known,  and  Moses  had  to  leave  the  country  to  save 
his  own  life.     He  fled  into  the  wilderness  about  Mount  Sinai. 

In  the  land  of  Midian  he  came  to  a  well,  by  which  he  sat 
down  to  rest.  Some  young  women  came  with  their  flocks 
to  water  them,  but  some  men  attempted  to  drive  them  away 
and  to  water  their  own  flocks  first.  Though  a  fugitive, 
Moses  still  had  the  chivalrous  spirit  that  he  had  when  a  court 
favorite.  He  went  to  the  aid  of  the  young  women,  and  not 
only  drove  away  the  men,  but  drew  water  and  helped  the 
girls  water  their  flocks.  This  incident  evidently  impressed 
one  of  the  young  women  very  favorably,  for  later  she  became 
Moses'  wife. 

The  Life  Work  of  Moses  Begun.  Moses  lived  in  Midian  for 
many  years,  helping  tend  the  flocks  of  his  father-in-law,  and 
having  a  very  peaceful  time.  But  he  could  not  forget  the 
sufferings  of  his  oppressed  people  back  in  Egypt.     Nor  could 


Moses — Lesson  Four 


17 


Slaves  Making  Brick  in  Egypt. 


he  escape  a  feeling  that  in  some  way  he  ought  to  help  them. 
This  feeUng  was  turned  into  a  clear  conviction  by  a  revelation 
that  God  wanted  him  to  go  back  to  them  and  set  them  free 
from  bondage.  So  he  returned  to  Egypt  and  began  a  strug- 
gle that  was  fine  to  see.  On  one  side  was  the  king  with  all 
his  power,  on  the  other  a  captive  people  with  one  strong, 
brave  man  for  their  leader.  Moses  demanded  that  Pharaoh 
let  the  Hebrews  have  a  little  rest,  that  they  might  have  time 
to  worship  God.  Pharaoh  replied  by  making  their  tasks 
harder  than  ever.  Moses  renewed  his  demands,  and  told  the 
king  plainly  that  God  would  punish  the  Egyptians  if  these 
just  demands  were  not  granted. 
The  king  would  not  listen. 
Then  came  a  series  of  frightful 
plagues  that  drove  the  Egyp- 
tians almost  to  desperation. 
The  water  became  foul  so  that  no 
one  could  drink  it,  frogs  overran 
the  country,  flies,  a  fatal  cattle 
disease,  terrific  hail  storms, 
blighted  crops,  locusts — all  came 
upon  them.  The  Egyptian  king  recognized  in  each  one  of 
these  calamities  a  punishment  from  Jehovah,  but  as  soon  as 
the  trouble  was  past  he  was  as  hard  hearted  and  unjust  as  ever. 
At  last  there  came  a  dreadful  night  in  which  a  mysterious 
disease  fell  upon  the  people,  and  in  every  Egyptian  home 
the  firstborn  son  lay  dead.  Then  the  Hebrews  were  not  only 
allowed  to  depart — they  were  almost  driven  away.  They 
marched  forth,  a  mighty  host,  with  Moses  at  their  head. 
But  soon  the  greed  of  the  king  got  the  upper  hand,  and  he 
sent  his  army  to  bring  back  the  escaped  slaves  to  work  for 
him  again.  They  were  overtaken  just  as  they  reached  the 
Red  Sea  or,  more  accurately,  an  arm  of  the  same  which  then 
extended  northward  from  what  is  now  called  the  Gulf  of  Suez. 
Look  at  the  map  and  you  will  see  in  what  a  trap  the  Israelites 
were.  They  were  probably  facing  the  string  of  Bitter  Lakes 
on  the  isthmus,  which  in  former  times  seem  to  have  been  con- 
nected one  with  another  and  with  the  gulf  by  shallow  water. 
To  the  north  was  the  great  wall  of  Egypt  defended  by  strong 
garrisons  against  attacks  from  the  East.  To  the  south  were 
high  mountains  and  desert  which  barred  the  way,  and  behind 
them  were  the  Egyptians . 


18 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


It  must  have  looked  for  a  time  as  if  all  were  lost.  But,  while 
the  people  wailed  and  cried  and  cast  reproaches  upon  Moses 
for  bringing  them  into  this  evil  place,  he  never  wavered. 
He  had  confidence  that  God  who  had  brought  them  thus 
far  wGuld  not  fail  them  now.  Suddenly  he  shouted,  in  tones 
that  made  the  most  cowardly  of  them  listen  and  obey,  "  Fear 
ye  not !  Stand  still,  and  see  the  salvation  of  Jehovah,  which 
he  will  work  for  you  to-day !  The  Egyptians  whom  ye  have 
seen  to-day,  ye  shall  see  them  again  no  more  forever!"  And 
then  a  strong  wind,  which  God  used  to  save  His  people,  blew 
back  the  waters  from  the  lake  so  as  to  expose  a  shallow  place 
which  permitted  the  people  to  pass  over.     The  Egyptians  came 


Zagazig  ^ 

•«     ^  Land    of 
C>\     GOSHEN 


Ancient  Wall 
snd  Fortresses 


SUCCOTH 


'Tel  el  Kibir'^''^-^{>^^^^gE^.:Sfr:rr^^~L^ . 

— ^-^^-eiyUgclokD" 


ROUTE  OF  THE  ISRAELITES 

From  Gosheu  to  the  "Wilderness 

ENGLISH    MILES 


5  10  15 

Modem  names  in  Italics 


Bitter 

Lakes 


on  after  them,  but  their  heavy  chariots  sank  to  the  hubs  in  the 
soft  mud;  the  horses  could  not  make  headway,  and,  before 
they  could  get  over,  the  returning  waters  caught  them  and 
drowned  them  all. 

For  a  short  time  the  Hebrews  could  hardly  understand 
that  they  were  really  saved  from  their  enemies.  Then  they 
seized  their  musical  instruments  and  began  to  dance  and  to 
sing  for  joy.  In  Exodus  ch.  15  we  find  their  song  of  thank- 
fulness, beginning: 


'  I  will  sing  unto  Jehovah,  for  he  hath  triumphed  gloriously: 
The  horse  and  his  rider  hath  he  thrown  into  the  sea. 
Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  song, 
And  he  is  become  my  salvation : 
This  is  my  God,  and  I  ^yiH  praise  him; 
My  father's  God,  and  I  will  exalt  him." 


Moses — Lesson  Four  19 

They  never  forgot  this  day,  nor  ceased  to  celebrate  it  in 
song  and  story,  just  as  we  celebrate  our  national  holidays 
and  sing  songs  about  them.  It  gave  them  greater  confidence 
in  Moses  as  their  leader  and  greater  faith  in  God,  who  had 
saved  them. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  Numbers  26:59,  and  write  the  names  of  Moses' 

father, ,    mother, ,  and 

sister, 

2.  Read  some  of  the  songs  that  were  written  by  Hebrew 
poets  in  memory  of  such  deliverances,  such  as  Psalms  114, 
115,  121,  124,  135  or  136.  What  is  the  main  thought  that 
runs  through  all  these? 

3.  What  things  in  the  boyhood  and  young  manhood  of 
Moses  helped  to  fit  him  for  the  great  work  he  did  in  later  life  ? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

4.  Write  a  heading  for  the  story  of  Moses  on  a  new  page  of  yoq 
note-book.  Select  from  the  Brown,  Perry,  or  Wilde  pictures  one  wit 
which  to  illustrate  the  lesson,  perhaps  that  of  Mose's  and  Aaron  befoi  i 
Pharaoh,  by  Dore,  or  a  picture  of  the  Crossing  of  the  Red  Sea,  at*J 
paste  it  in  your  book.  Write  underneath  the  picture  the  verse  y:,u 
think  best  fitted  for  a  motto,  either  from  the  story  in  Exodus  or  f '  om 
one  of  the  Psalms  referred  to,  under  "  Directions  for  Study." 

5.  Write  a  short  story  of  any  incident  that  you  prefer  fron  ihe 
early  life  of  Moses. 

6.  Write  the  story  of  any  incident  in  modern  life,  your  o\t  ex- 
perience if  possible,  that  you  think  illustrates  God's  care. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  one  of  the  Psalms  above  mentioned. 


20 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson  5.     MOSES.    The  Hebrew  Lawgiver  and  Judge. 

Ex.  16:1—20:21;  24:1-8;  Deut.  ch.  34. 

"Jehovah  spake  unto  Moses  face  to  face,  as  a  man  speaketh  unto 
his  friend."     Ex.  33:11. 

Moses*  New  Task.  After  the  overthrow  of  the  Egyptian 
arm}^  at  the  Red  Sea,  the  Hebrews  were  a  free  people,  so  far 
as  their  former  bondage  was  concerned,  and  they  looked  to 
Moses  as  the  man  to  whom  they  owed  more  than  to  any  one 
else.  But  the  next  thing  they  had  to  learn  was  how  to  use 
their  freedom.  They  were  delivered  from  the  lash  of  the 
taskmaster,  but  now  they  must  learn  to  govern  themselves, 
for  freedom  without  self-control  is  very  nearly  as  bad  as 
slavery.  Indeed,  such  freedom  will  surely  lead  into  bondage 
of  some  kind.  So  Moses  found  a  new  task  before  him ;  that 
of  teaching  the  people  how  to  govern  themselves,  and  this 
task  was  longer  and  more  difficult  than  that  of  freeing  them 
from  Pharaoh's  oppression. 

The  Covenant  at  Sinai.  Of  one  thing  Moses  was  quite 
sure — this  was  that  the  people  must  learn  to  know  God  and 

obey  Him,  if  they 
would  become  a 
great  nation. 
Therefore  he 
wished  to  have 
them  enter  into 
a  solemn  agree- 
ment, or  "cove- 
nant," as  it  was 
called,  with  God ; 
and  for  this  pur- 
pose he  determined 
first  of  all  to  lead 
them  to  the  sacred 
mountain  where  it 
was  then  thought 
that  God  had  His 
special  dwelling- 
place.  This  moun- 
tain was  called 
Sinai,  or  Horeb, 
and   it   was   prob- 


SCALE   OF  MILES 


peth-el'    , 

'III        ^,    j 

^  ■  (Jerus^ 
'V'     Hebron* 

V  Beer-sh,eJ)!| 


c._  '    \mm/< 


Map  of  the  Sinaitic  Peninsula. 

The  heavy  dotted  line  ehows  the  traditional  route  in  case  Mount 

Sinai  was  ia  the  eoiithem  part  of  the  peninBula.    The  other  shows  the 

probable  route  to  Elath  (Elim)  and  to  Sinai-IIoreb  if  that  peak  was 

•ituated  in  the  land  of  Midian. 


Moses — Lesson  Five 


21 


Moses. 
By  Michael  Angelo. 


ably  one  of  the  peaks  at  the  southern  end  of  the  range  called 
Seir,  in  the  land  of  Midian,  south  of  the  Dead  Sea. 

It  was  not  strange  that  these  people  in  ancient  times 
should  think  that  God  lived  on  the 
mountain  top,  as  you  will  under- 
stand if  you  have  ever  seen  a  very 
high  mountain  reaching  aw^ay  up 
into  the  clouds,  perhaps  with  snow 
covering  its  peak.  And  you  can 
imagine  their  awe  when  they  stood 
at  the  foot  of  Sinai  and  saw  its  top 
surrounded  with  thick  clouds,  out 
of  which  came  crashing  peals  of 
thunder  and  vivid  flashes  of  light- 
ning. To  them  this  was  the  very 
voice  of  God,  and  they  trembled 
greatly.  It  was  under  such  circumstances  that  the  covenant 
with  God  was  made  after  the  manner  of  the  ancient  Semitic 
peoples. 

The  Ten  Commandments.  The  law  that  Moses  gave  to  the 
people  centered  mostly  about  what  is  called  The  Decalogue, 
or  The  Ten  Commandments.  The  original  form  of  these 
is  somewhat  different  from  that  which  we  learn  now,  but 
the  present  form  is  the  one  that  has  the  most  meaning  for  us. 
These  commandments  really  sum  up  our  duties  to  God  and  to 
our  fellow  beings,  and  they  should  be  thoroughly  memorized. 
Here  is  a  short  form  of  them : 

I.  THOU  SHALT  HAVE  NO  OTHER  GODS  BEFORE 

ME. 
II.  THOU  SHALT  NOT  MAKE  FOR  THYSELF  ANY 
GRAVEN  IMAGE. 

III.  THOU  SHALT  NOT  TAKE  THE  NAME  OF  THE 

LORD  THY  GOD  IN  VAIN. 

IV.  REMEMBER  THE  SABBATH  DAY  TO  KEEP  IT 

HOLY. 
V.  HONOR  THY  FATHER  AND  THY  MOTHER. 
VI.  THOU  SHALT  NOT  KILL. 
VII.  THOU  SHALT  NOT  COMMIT  ADULTERY. 
VIII.  THOU  SHALT  NOT  STEAL. 
IX.  THOU  SHALT  NOT  BEAR  FALSE  WITNESS. 
X.  THOU  SHALT  NOT  COVET. 


'/ 


22 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Moses  told  the  people  that  if  they  would  hearken  to  God's 
voice  and  keep  His  commandments,  He  would  surely  bless 
them,  and  the  people  solemnly  promised  that  they  would  do 
as  God  commanded.  But  it  is  always  easier  to  promise  than  to 
keep  one's  promises,  and  the  Hebrews  had  before  them  many 
long  and  weary  years  of  trial  and  failure  before  they  really 
understood  what  God  wanted  them  to  do.  During  many  years 
Moses  acted  as  judge  of  their  disputes,  taught  them  all  he 
could,  and  kept  his  patience  wonderfully  through  many  trials. 
He  never  could  have  done  it  had  he  not  felt  sure  that  God 
was  with  him  as  his  constant  Friend  and  Helper. 

The  Death  of  Moses.  At  last  the  Hebrews  came  to  the 
borders  of  Canaan,  the  land  of  their  fathers,  Abraham, 
Isaac  and  Jacob,  a  land  so  rich  and  fertile  that  men  called 
it  **  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey."  From  the  high 
mountains  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan  the  people  could  look 
over  to  the  fertile  hills  and  valleys  of  their  future  home. 
But  Moses  was  not  permitted  to  enter  it.     He  was  a  very  old 


Mount  Nebo. 

man,  and  died  before  the  people  crossed  over  to  conquer  the 
land.  They  left  him  there  on  Mount  Nebo  alone  with  his 
God.  They  said  that  God  Himself  buried  Moses,  but  where, 
no  one  knows.  It  was  a  fitting  close  to  a  life  that  had  been 
spent  with  God. 

The  Burial  of  Moses. 

By  Nebo's  lonely  mountain, 

On  this  side  Jordan's  wave, 
In  a  vale  in  the  land  of  Moab, 

There  lies  a  lonely  grave; 


Moses — Lesson  Five  23 


And  no  man  built  that  sepulcher, 

And  no  man  saw  it  e'er; 
.  For  the  angels  of  God  upturned  the  sod, 

And  laid  the  dead  man  there. 

That  was  the  grandest  funeral 

That  ever  passed  on  earth ; 
Yet  no  man  heard  the  trampling, 

Or  saw  the  train  go  forth. 
Noiselessly  as  the  daylight 

Comes  when  the  night  is  done, 
And  the  crimson  streak  on  Ocean's  cheek 

Grows  into  the  great  sun ; 

Noiselessly  as  the  spring-time 

Her  crown  of  verdure  weaves, 
And  all  the  trees  on  all  the  hills 

Unfold  their  thousand  leaves; 
So  without  sound  of  music, 

Or  voice  of  them  that  wept, 
Silently  down  from  the  mountain's  crown 

The  great  procession  swept. 


This  was  the  bravest  warrior 

That  ever  buckled  sword; 
Thk  the  most  gifted  poet 

That  ever  breathed  a  word ; 
And  never  earth's  philosopher 

Traced  with  his  golden  pen 
On  the  deathless  page,  truths  half  so  sage 

As  he  wrote  down  for  men. 

And  had  he  not  high  honor? 

The  hillside  for  his  pall ! 
To  lie  in  state  while  angels  wait 

With  stars  for  tapers  tall, 
And  the  dark  rock-pines  like  tossing  plumes 

Over  his  bier  to  wave ; 
And  God's  own  hand  in  that  lonely  land, 

To  lay  him  in  his  grave  ! 


O  lonely  tomb  in  Moab's  land ! 

O  dark  Beth-peor's  hill ! 
Speak  to  these  curious  hearts  of  ours, 

And  teach  them  to  be  still. 
God  hath  His  mysteries  of  grace, 

Ways  that  we  cannot  tell; 
He  hides  them  deep,  like  the  secret  sleep 

Of  him  He  loved  so  well." 

— Cecil  Frances  Alexander 


24  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  story  of  the  giving  of  the  covenant  at  Sinai, 
as  told  in  Ex.  19:1—20:21  and  24:1-8.  What  was  God's 
promise  (19:6)?  What  was  its  condition  (19:5)?  What 
did  the  people  promise  (24 : 7)  ? 

2.  Why  is  it  important  that  a  free  people  should  know  how 
to  govern  themselves? 

3.  What  harm  occurs  if  people  fail  to  obey  the  rules  of  a 
game,  or  the  laws  of  a  land? 

4.  Who  make  the  laws  in  our  own  land? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

5.  Select  a  picture  for  this  lesson.  Michael  Angelo*s  statue  of 
Moses  is  a  good  one,  also  Tissot's  picture  of  Moses  and  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments. Paste  the  picture  in  your  book  and  on  the  opposite 
page  write  the  Ten  Commandments.  You  might  draw  two  tablets 
with  rounded  tops  and  print  the  commandments  neatly  on  them, 
using  the  short  form  given  in  this  lesson. 

6.  Write  beneath  the  Commandments  the  form  of  the  covenant 
as  found  in  Ex.  19:5,  6  (ending  with  "  a  holy  nation  ")  and  the  re- 
sponse of  the  people  (24:7  last  half). 

7.  Write  in  your  book  what  you  think  was  the  secret  of  Moses* 
success  as  a  leader.     Was  it  learning,  patience,  sympathy,  or  what? 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  as  a  declamation  The  Burial  of  Moses  (preferably  the 
entire  poem,  given  in  Longfellow's  compilation  Poems  of  Places,  Asia), 
or  Israel's  declaration  of  faith  (Deut.  6:4-9),  which  is  a  part  of  one  of 
the  orations  of  Moses. 


Lesson  6.     HARRIET  BEECHER  STOWE.     Who  Aroused  a 
Nation's  Conscience. 

Born  June  14,  1811 ;  diedjuly  1,  1896. 

"  That  also  which  this  woman  hath  done  shall  be  spoken  of  for  a 
memorial  of  her."     Mt.  26 :  13. 

Thirteen  Children  and  Little  Money.  Harriet  Beecher  Stowe 
was  number  seven  in  a  family  of  thirteen  children,  a  family 
from  which  more  literary  men  and  women  have  come  than 
from  any  other  in  the  history  of  America.  Harriet  was  a 
sister  of  the  celebrated  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  and  her  father 


Harriet  Beecher  Stowe — Lesson  Six  25 

was  the  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher.  It  was  a  home  of  poverty 
that  she  was  bom  into,  with  **  no  carpets  on  the  floor  and 
plenty  of  economy  in  the  kitchen."  The  first  carpet  they 
ever  had  was  made  by  Harriet's  mother.  She  laid  cotton 
cloth  upon  the  floor,  and  painted  it  with  oils.  She  must 
have  done  it  well,  for  when  one  of  the  deacons  of  the  church 
called  soon  after,  he  stopped  short  upon  the  threshold.  **  Step 
in,  step  in,"  said  Mr.  Beecher.  "  Why,  I  can't,"  responded 
the  deacon,  "  without  stepping  on  it.  Do  you  think  you  can 
have  all  that  and  heaven  too?  " 

But  this  poverty  did  not  hurt  Harriet  or  any  of  the  family. 
It  seems  rather  to  have  developed  habits  of  industry  and 
self-reliance  that  made  them  the  strong,  effective  people  they 
afterward  became. 

Work  and  Play.  Harriet  soon  learned  the  mysteries  of 
housekeeping,  and  at  the  same  time  had  plenty  of  time  to 
enjoy  the  fields  and  forests  and  all  out-of-doors.  She  was  ex- 
ceptionally bright,  quick  to  take  in  everything,  and  with  her 
own  share  of  mischief.  One  day,  when  their  mother  was  out, 
the  children  found  a  package  of  "  onions,"  as  Harriet  called 
them.  The  rest  seem  to  have  had  their  doubts  about  the 
"  onions,"  but  Harriet  persuaded  them  that  they  were  good, 
and  her  mother  returned  just  in  time  to  discover  that  the 
choice  tulip  bulbs  which  her  brother  had  sent  from  New  York 
had  all  been  eaten  up.  Harriet  loved  books  and  school. 
The  conversation  in  her  father's  family  was  of  such  a  nature 
as  to  prove  not  only  interesting  but  profitable.  Even  the 
children  learned  to  talk  and  think  about  things  really  worth 
while,  and  this  all  came  back  in  rich  measure  in  her  later  life. 
In  those  days  there  were  not  many  books,  and  very,  very  few 
that  were  written  for  children.  When  Harriet  was  six  or 
seven  years  old  she  went  exploring  in  the  garret  and  found  a 
barrel  full  of  old  sermons  and  pamphlets.  She  hauled  them 
over  and  found  way  down  at  the  bottom  a  copy  of  The  A  rahian 
Nights.  She  knew  nothing  about  it  but  that  it  was  a  book, 
and  that  was  enough.  She  sat  down,  and  was  soon  lost  to  all 
the  world  in  her  delight  over  this  new  treasure. 

Her  Religious  Awakening.  When  Harriet  was  fourteen 
years  of  age  she  heard  her  father  preach  on  Jesus  as  a  Friend, 
Dr.  Beecher  spoke  that  day  very  simply  and  earnestly,  and 
the  sermon  came  as  a  great  blessing  to  his  little  girl.     She 


26 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


such  a  girl  would  make 


realized  how  much  she  needed  the  kind  of  friend  that  her 
father  was  speaking  of,  a  friend  who  would  be  always  sym- 
pathetic and  compassionate,  and  she  decided  that  she  would 
have  Him  for  her  own  Friend.  She  went  home  and  said  to 
her  father,  "  Father,  I  have  given  myself  to  Jesus."  This 
was  the  beginning  of  new  happiness  in  her  own  life,  for  the 
resolution  made  that  day  found  constant  expression  in  a 
brave,  loyal  life  of  service  and  devotion  to  duty. 

The  Wife  and  Mother.     It  was  to  have  been  expected  that 

a  good  woman  and  a  good  wife. 
Harriet  Beecher  Stowe  was  both. 
It  must  have  been  hard  for  her, 
with  all  the  splendid  talents  she 
had,  to  attend  faithfully  to  the 
petty  drudgery  of  household 
tasks,  but  she  did  it  with  cheer- 
fulness. Her  son  tells  of  some 
amusing  attempts  to  combine 
literary  work  with  housekeeping. 
She  was  trying  to  direct  Mina, 
the  colored  girl,  how  to  cook,  and 
at  the  same  time  endeavoring  to 
dictate  to  a  friend  a  story  that 
she  was  composing.  The  result 
was  something  like  this:  "Her 
lover  wept  with  her,  nor  dared  he  again  touch  the  point  so 
sacredly  guarded — Mina,  roll  that  crust  a  little  thinner — He 
spoke  in  soothing  tones — Mina,  poke  down  those  coals  in  the 
oven. — '  What  is  this  life  to  one  who  has  suffered  as  I  have?' 
— '  Shall  I  put  in  the  brown  or  the  white  bread  first?'  asked 
Mina." 

Slavery  and  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin.  This  Mina  was  a  colored 
girl  whom  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stowe  had  saved  from  being  carried 
back  into  slavery.  At  this  time  the  country  was  divided 
into  slave  and  free  states.  In  the  former,  slavery  was  allowed, 
but  not  in  the  latter.  But  a  law  had  been  passed,  called  the 
Fugitive  Slave  Law,  which  permitted  any  owner  to  pursue 
a  slave  who  had  escaped  into  the  free  states,  and  take  him 
back,  and  which  forced  the  people  of  the  free  states  not  only 
to  allow  him  to  do  so  but  even  to  assist  him.  This  led  to 
many  cruel  and  heartrending  scenes,  such  as  were  connected 


Paed  by  permission  ofthe  Houghton,  Mifflin  Co. 

Harriet  Beecher  Stowe. 


Harriet  Beecher  Stowe — Lesson  Six  27 

with  slavery.  Families  were  separated,  children  being  taken 
from  their  parents,  and  wives  from  their  husbands,  and  the 
captives  often  sent  back  to  unspeakably  cruel  bondage.  All 
this  aroused  in  Mrs.  Stowe  a  passionate  hatred  of  slavery. 
With  many  other  people  she  felt  that  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law 
was  an  infamous  measure  and  opposed  to  the  higher  law  of 
God  and  the  commands  of  brotherly  love  and  kindness. 
Nevertheless,  few  people  dared  publicly  to  denounce  the  law. 
The  few  abolitionists  in  New  England  who  lifted  their  voices 
against  slavery  were  despised  as  fanatics.  The  system  which 
had  entrenched  itself  in  the  constitution  of  the  United  States 
threatened  to  extend  itself  over  the  northern  as  well  as  the 
southern  states.  An  agitation  against  it  seemed  to  imperil 
the  national  union.  The  history  of  those  days  is  full  of  ex- 
citing incidents  connected  with  the  attempts  of  slaves  to  es- 
cape from  their  bondage,  and  the  efforts  of  the  more  humane 
of  the  white  people  in  the  free  states  to  help  them,  even  at  the 
risk  of  being  themselves  punished. 

Mrs.  Stowe  felt  all  this  very  keenly.  One  day  she  received 
a  letter  from  her  sister-in-law,  describing  some  of  the 
sad  things  that  were  happenmg,  and  then  added:  "  If  I  could 
use  the  pen  as  you  can,  I  would  write  something  that  would 
make  this  whole  nation  feel  what  an  accursed  thing  slavery 
is."  The  idea  inspired  her,  and  she  exclaimed,  "  I  will  write 
something.  I  will,  if  I  Hve  !  "  The  next  Sunday  while  in 
church  the  plan  of  the  story  of  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  came  into 
her  mind.  She  began  to  write,  and  published  the  story  first 
as  a  serial  in  The  Era,  of  Washington.  Notwithstanding  the 
unpopularity  of  the  subject,  there  was  great  demand  for  it, 
and  in  1852  it  was  published  in  book  form.  Over  three 
hundred  thousand  copies  were  sold  in  one  year.  It  has  been 
translated  into  nineteen  different  languages,  and  it  is  esti- 
mated that  3,000,000  copies  have  been  sold. 

Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  did  more  to  strike  a  death-blow  at 
slavery  than  all  the  speeches  and  tracts  and  arguments  that 
were  written  and  delivered.  It  is  a  thrilHng  and  pathetic 
story,  and  made  Mrs.  Stowe  famous  as  an  author,  but  she 
did  not  care  half  so  much  about  that  as  for  the  way  in  which 
the  book  aroused  the  conscience  of  the  nation.  The  secret 
of  its  power  was  that  it  made  the  characters  it  told  about 
seem  intensely  real  and  human  to  all  who  read  it.  There 
were  many  people  who  had  almost  doubted  whether  negroes. 


28  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

were  really  human  beings,  and  others  who  denied  flatly  that 
they  had  souls.  But  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  made  the- characters 
of  Uncle  Tom,  and  Eliza,  and  Topsy,  and  the  rest  so  real, 
and  at  the  same  time  showed  so  clearly  how  dreadful  slavery 
was,  even  when  the  slaves  were  kindly  treated,  that  thou- 
sands whom  arguments  had  failed  to  move,  were  aroused  to 
indignation  and  pity. 

There  were  many,  of  course,  who  were  not  convinced,  but 
who  none  the  less  recognized  the  tremendous  power  which 
this  book  would  exert.  Mrs.  Stowe  received  letters  from 
many  in  whom  the  story  aroused  savage  enmity.  Some  of 
these  letters  contained  abuse  and  even  threats,  and  the  in- 
mates of  her  home  slept  with  firearms  ready,  and  a  large  bell 
with  which  to  call  the  young  men  of  the  adjoining  Lane 
Seminary  in  case  a  mob  should  attack  the  house.  But  Mrs. 
Stowe  also  lived  to  see  the  day  when,  though  at  the  cost  of  a 
long  and  terrible  war,  slavery  was  at  last  banished  from  our 
land. 

On  her  seventieth  birthday,  a  garden  party  was  given  in 
her  honor  at  Newtonville,  Massachusetts.  Two  hundred  of 
the  best  known  literary  men  and  women  of  the  land  were 
there,  all  of  whom  honored  her  as  the  one  who  had  done  most 
to  bring  justice  and  freedom  to  the  slave.  And  all  over  the 
South  there  were  many  who  read  with  new  understanding  and 
great  joy  the  words  that  Jesus  quoted  from  Isaiah: 

"  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 
Because  he  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  to  the  poor : 
He  hath  sent  me  to  proclaim  release  to  the  captives, 
And  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind, 
To  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  In  what  kind  of  home  did  Mrs.  Stowe  pass  her  girlhood? 

2.  What  were  the  results  of  her  early  training? 

3.  What  great  moral  and  political  question  was  agitating 
the  country  during  her  lifetime  ? 

4.  What  was  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law?  the  Underground 
Railway?  (Look  them  up  in  a  United  States  history  or  an 
encyclopaedia.) 

5.  Do  you  think  it  was  right  for  people  to  assist  slaves  to 
escape  from  bondage,  when  this  was  against  the  law? 


Samuel  Chapman  Armstrong — Lesson  Seven  29 

6.  What  gave  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  such  great  influence  in 
helping  to  bring  about  the  aboHtion  of  slavery?  (See  story- 
above. ) 

7.  What  does  this  suggest  as  to  the  best  way  of  overcom- 
ing unworthy  prejudice  against  people,  or  classes  of  people? 

8.  What  did  Jesus  teach  about  the  relations  of  masters 
and  servants?     (Mt.  23:10-12.)  * 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

9.  Write  HARRIET  BEECHER  STOWE,  1811-1896,  as  a  head- 
ing for  a  new  page  in  your  book.  Paste  on  this  page  a  portrait  of 
Mrs.  Stowe  (Brown  Pictures  No.  31,  Perry  Pictures  No.  40).  Then 
write  a  short  story  about  her  and  what  she  accomplished, 

10.  Find  out  what  you  can  about  any  negroes  who  have  been  use- 
ful in  the  world,  or  have  become  famous.  Make  a  list  of  them,  with 
the  thing  for  which  each  one  is  best  known. 

MEMORY  WORK. 
Learn  Eph.  4:32. 


Lesson  7.     SAMUEL  CHAPMAN  ARMSTRONG.     A  Pioneer 
in  the  Education  of  the  Freedmen. 

Born  Jan.  30,  1839;  died  May  11,  1893. 

"  In  diligence  not  slothful;  fervent  in  spirit;  serving  the  Lord." 
Rom.  12:11. 

Life  in  a  Boy*s  Paradise.  If  you  had  been  living  in  Hono- 
lulu about  the  year  1850,  and  had  gone  down  to  the  beach, 
you  might  have  seen  a  lot  of  happy  little  fellows,  barefooted, 
with  trousers  rolled  up  and  hair  flying  in  the  wind,  rushing 
in  and  out  of  the  water,  sailing  boats  and  having  a  fine  time 
generally.  It  would  probably  not  have  taken  you  long  to 
single  out  one  of  the  boys,  a  slim,  light-haired  lad,  easily 
noticed  for  his  fun  and  liveliness,  a  leader  of  all  the  rest. 
And  if  you  had  asked  his  name,  some  one  would  have  replied, 
"Why,  that's  Sam  Armstrong;  you  ought  to  know  him." 
And  you  would  have  enjoyed  knowing  him,  for  he  would 
have  led  you  a  merry  chase  through  every  kind  of  sport, 
swimming,  boating,  horseback  riding,  and  all  other  things 
in  which  boys  delight. 

Samuel  Chapman  Armstrong  was  born  on  one  of  the  neigh- 


30  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

boring  islands,  called  Maui,  where  the  extinct  volcano  of 
Haleakala  pokes  its  giant  crater  into  the  sky  ten  thousand 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  His  father  and  mother  were 
missionaries  in  the  days  when  the  missionaries  were  also 
statesmen,  helping  to  build  up  the  government  as  well  as 
teaching  the  people  about  Jesus  Christ  and  His  religion.  _  And 
these  missionary  boys  were  just  as  lively  and  mischievous 
as  other  boys,  just  as  fond  of  going  barefooted,  which  they 
could  do  all  the  year  round  in  that  climate,  and  just  as  un- 
willing to  be  dressed  up  for  Sundays.  Samuel  Armstrong 
says  of  those  days : 

"  Molasses  and  water  .was  bliss  to  us,  and  ginger  cake  was  too 
good  to  be  true.  We  went  barefoot,  we  were  hungry  and  felt  the 
ferule  about  our  hands  and  shoulders,  and  had  our  lunches  stolen 
by  the  other  hungry  boys,  and  had  prayer-meeting  out  among  the 
rocks,  and  learned  seven  honest  verses  by  heart  for  Sunday  school, 
besides  the  catechism  at  home.  The  small  boy  of  to-day  tries  to  be 
a  gentleman,  which  we  never  dreamed  of :  our  ambition  was  to  de- 
light in  native  rollicking  freedom,  in  sea,  in  salt  ponds  and  wild 
mountains." 

He  tells  of  many  queer  scenes  in  that  semi-pagan  country, 
how  the  natives  would  bring  their  dogs  to  church  and  sit 
unmoved  while  the  httle  curs  fought,  and  how  these  natives 
dehghted  in  squeaky  shoes,  the  louder  the  better.  A  man 
would  often  come  walking  noisily  into  church,  sit  down  and 
pass  his  shoes  out  through  the  window  for  his  wife  to  put  on 
before  entering,  thus  adding  to  the  family  glory  by  the  added 
noise. 

And  with  the  fun  was  plenty  of  hard,  honest  work  at  home 
and  at  school.  Samuel's  early  schoohng  was  received  at  the 
Royal  School  at  Punahou,  founded  for  the  training  of  young 
chiefs.  Some  manual  work  was  required  of  every  pupil, 
and  Samuel  did  his  stint  of  hoeing  in  the  field,  even  interfering 
with  nature  by  digging  up  the  melon  seeds  to  see  if  they  had 
started.     But  everywhere  he  did  his  work  well. 

When  he  went  to  Oahu  College,  he  was  asked  to  take  a 
class  in  geometry  whose  teacher  had  given  it  up  for  a  time. 
It  was  a  severe  test  for  a  young  undergraduate,  but  the  sanie 
spirit  that  made  him  the  undisputed  leader  on  the  athletic 
field  carried  him  through  this  task.  As  a  teacher  he  seldom 
looked  at  his  book  during  the  class  exercise,  and  this  inspired 
the  class  to  do  likewise,  with  the  consequence  that  when  the 
public  examination  came,  at  the  end  of  the  year,  these  boys 


Samuel  Chapman  Armstrong — Lesson  Seven  31 

surprised  the  examiners  and  every  one  else  in  the  school  with 
their  feats  of  memory. 

Samuel,  like  all  the  sons  of  missionaries,  had  to  earn  his 
own  pocket  money,  which  he  accomplished  in  a  variety  of 
ways,  acting  as  tax-assessor,  book-keeping,  supervising 
schools,  and  editing  a  paper. 

College  Days.  In  1860,  his  father,  Richard  Armstrong, 
died,  and  Samuel  sailed  soon  after  for  America  to  enter  Wil- 
liams College.  The  impression  he  made  upon  his  fellow 
students  in  that  quiet  New  England  college  town  must  have 
been  startUng.  One  of  his  classmates  said  that  he  could  best 
be  described  in  the  eastern  Tennessee  dialect  as  "  plumb 
survigrous."  "  He  could  manage  a  boat  in  a  storm,  teach 
school,  edit  a  newspaper,  assist  in  carrying  on  a  government, 
take  up  a  mechanical  industry  at  will,  understand  the  natives, 
sympathize  with  the  missionaries,  talk  with  profound  the- 
orists, recite  well  in  Greek  or  mathematics,  conduct  an  ad- 
vanced class  in  geometry,  and  make  no  end  of  fun  for  little 
children."  He  was  full  to  the  brim  with  good  cheer,  true 
manliness,  and  the  spirit  of  useful  service.  He  had  thoughts 
of  studying  for  the  ministry,  but  could  not  abide  the  unduly 
solemn  way  in  which  some  people  looked  upon  that  calling. 
He  had  the  spirit  of  the  pioneer  that  drives  men  to  strike 
out  and  do  things,  and  he  used  to  say  that  he  would  become 
either  a  missionary  or  a  pirate. 

Fighting  for  the  Right.     During  the  last  of  Armstrong's 

college  days  there  was  much  excitement  over  the  war.  Many 
of  the  college  men  were  enlisting,  and  soon  after  graduation 
Armstrong  was  in  Troy,  New  York,  enlisting  a  company. 
He  soon  made  a  reputation  for  two  things:  strict  discipline 
and  perfect  fairness.  These  two  traits  he  always  showed, 
and  they  won  for  him  the  respect  and  affection  of  his  men. 
When  the  regiment  went  into  camp  after  a  hard  march,  in- 
stead of  at  once  seeking  the  best  spot  for  himself,  as  many 
officers  did,  Armstrong's  first  thought  and  care  was  for  his 
men,  to  see  that  they  were  comfortable  and  well  cared  for. 
When  his  regiment  went  into  battle,  Armstrong  was  con- 
spicuous for  bravery  and  coolness.  He  would  take  care  to 
see  that  his  men  were  as  well  protected  as  possible,  while  he 
often  exposed  himself  to  the  fire  of  the  enemy  without  flinch- 
ing.    The  result  of  all  this  was  that  his  men  would  follow 


32  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

\iim  anywhere,  and  do  anything  for  him.  In  the  disastrous 
retreat  from  Harper's  Ferry,  his  company  was  one  of  the  few 
who  came  away  in  any  order  at  all. 

One  great  secret  of  Armstrong's  bravery  in  battle  was  the 
fact  that  he  was  conscious  all  the  while  that  he  was  ready  to 
die.  He  had  a  clear  conscience,  he  had  performed  every 
duty  he  had  undertaken  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  and  death 
had  no  terrors  for  him. 

Leading  the  Colored  Troops.  After  the  emancipation  of 
the  slaves,  Armstrong  felt  more  interest  in  the  cause  for 
which  he  was  fighting  than  ever  before.  He  felt  that  slavery 
was  now  clearly  defined  as  the  underlying  cause  of  the  war, 
and  he  was  willing  to  do  and  dare  anything  for  the  cause  of 
freedom.  Accordingly,  when  colored  troops  began  to  be 
enlisted,  he  sought  a  position  as  colonel  in  command  of  a 
regiment  of  them.  Only  the  best  officers  were  chosen  for 
this  work.  Many  people  thought  that  the  negroes,  who  had 
always  been  slaves,  with  no  responsibility,  would  not  fight, 
and  that  they  could  not  be  disciplined  or  controlled.  Be- 
sides, the  officers  of  colored  regiments  would  be  in  particular 
danger,  for  the  Confederate  troops  had  threatene'd  to  treat 
them  with  special  severity  if  they  were  captured.  But  the 
negro  soldiers  proved  to  be  as  loyal,  brave  and  efficient  as 
any,  and  Armstrong's  men  won  particular  distinction. 

The  Freedmen's  Bureau.  After  the  war  was  over,  Arm- 
strong found  himself  a  general  at  the  age  of  twenty-five. 
He  thought  of  going  into  the  government  service,  but  was  so 
disgusted  with  the  crowd  of  office  seekers  who  seemed  to  care 
for  nothing  but  getting  easy  work  with  big  pay,  that  he  gave 
up  the  idea.  He  found  such  a  position  as  he  wanted,  how- 
ever, in  the  Bureau  of  Refugees,  Freedmen  and  Abandoned 
Lands.  It  was  the  task  of  this  bureau  to  build  up  the  busi- 
ness of  the  South  after  the  war.  Many  plantations  had  been 
abandoned,  there  were  people  who  had  lost  their  slaves  and 
did  not  know  how  to  work  without  them,  and  there  were 
slaves  who  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  their  new-found 
liberty.  And  so  the  country  was  divided  up  into  districts 
and  the  agents  of  the  Freedmen's  Bureau  had  to  be  business 
managers,  judges,  police  officers,  and  friends  to  every  one. 

All  kinds  of  troubles  came  up  for  settlement,  and  General 
Armstrong  had  to  straighten  them  out  with  the  assistance  of 


Samuel  Chapman  Armstrong — Lesson  Seven 


33 


assciiates  appointed  by  the  whites  and  the  blacks.  One 
can  easily  imagine  the  tact,  wisdom  and  patience  that  it  re- 
quired to  do  such  a  work  successfully. 

Hampton  and  Industrial  Education.  In  his  dealings  with 
the  negroes  General  Armstrong  saw  clearly  that  what  they 
most  needed  was  to  be  taught  to  help  themselves.  They 
must  be  taught  to  work,  not  like  cattle  driven  under  the 
whip,  but  intelligently  and  efficiently.  He  conceived  the 
idea  of  a  school  where  the  young  colored  people  might  be 
trained  to  become  teachers  and  good  workers  and  so  go  out 
to  help  elevate  their  own  race.  He  suggested  the  idea  to 
the  American  Missionary  Association,  and  they  promptly 
asked  him  to  be  the  head  of  the  school.  With  wonderful  faith 
and  clear  insight  into  just  what  needed  to  be  done,  he  threw 
himself  into  this  work,  and  built  up  at  Hampton,  Virginia, 
the  splendid  institute  that  now  stands  there,  where  hundreds 
of  young  colored  people  and  Indians  have  been  educated  and 
trained  for  good  work  in  the  world.  He  raised  money  for 
it  at  the  North,  he  taught  and  supervised  and  looked  after 
the  social  life  of  the  students;  he  seemed  to  be  everywhere, 
and  to  do  admirably  everything  to  which  he  put  his  hand. 

General  Armstrong's  Ideals  for  Life.  General  Armstrong 
was  a  thorough  Christian,  and  Christianity  meant  to  him 
doing  one's  duty  honestly  and  w^ell. 
He  gloried  in  doing  the  hard  thing, 
and  he  always  tried  to  get  this  same 
spirit  into  his  students.  He  was  very 
fond  of  telling  a  story  about  a  wood- 
chuck  that  w^as  chased  by  a  dog.  The 
only  way  to  get  away  w^as  to  climb  a 
tree,  but  woodchucks  can't  climb 
trees.  This  woodchuck  had  to,  and 
he  did.  General  Armstrong  used  to 
tell  his  young  people  that  they  should 
be  thankful  for  the  necessity  that 
made   them   do   the   hard  tasks,   for 

through    hard    work    they    would    de-    Samuel  Chapman  Armstrong. 

velop  character.  In  his  school  work  he  showed  the  same 
qualities  that  had  marked  him  in  the  army.  He  was  severe 
on  those  who  were  lazy  or  careless,  but  he  was  always  fair. 
And  his  severity  was  always  lip^htened  by  a  gleam  of  fun  that 


\ 


34  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

never  left  him  even  to  the  last  of  his  life.  In  a  talk  to  his 
students  he  once  said,  **  Spend  your  Hfe  in  doing  what  you 
can  well.  Do  what  you  can  do  well,  and  people  will  respect 
it  and  respect  you.  This  is  what  the  world  wants  of  every 
one." 

When  General  Armstrong  died,  the  commanding  officer 
of  Fortress  Monroe  asked  the  privilege  of  giving  him  full 
military  honors  at  his  funeral,  an  unusual  honor  for  one  not 
in  the  active  service.  He  was  buried  among  his  students 
who  had  died  at  the  school,  and  his  grave  was  marked  with 
a  block  of  Williamstown  granite  at  one  end,  and  of  Hawaiian 
volcanic  rock  at  the  other.  But  his  finest  monuments  are 
the  splendid  school  where  the  young  people  of  less  favored 
races  are  being  trained  to  do  their  work  in  the  world,  and 
the  lives  of  young  men  and  women  on  whom  the  influence 
of  General  Armstrong  has  left  its  enduring  mark.  As  they 
laid  him  to  rest  in  the  grave  his  students  sang  Julia  Ward 
Howe's  Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic: 

Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord; 
He  is  trampling  out  the  vintage  where  the  grapes  of  wrath  are  stored; 
He  hath  loosed  the  fateful  lightning  of  His  terrible  swift  sword, 
His  truth  is  marching  on. 

I  have  seen  Him  in  the  watch-fires  of  a  hundred  circling  camps; 
They  have  builded  Him  an  altar  in  the  evening  dews  and  damps; 
I  can  read  His  righteous  sentence  by  the  dim  and  flaring  lamps, 
His  day  is  marching  on. 

I  have  read  a  fiery  gospel,  writ  in  burnished  rows  of  steel; 
*'  As  ye  deal  with  my  contemners,  so  with  you  my  grace  shall  deal"; 
Let  the  hero,  born  of  woman,  crush  the  serpent  with  his  heel, 
Since  God  is  marching  on. 

He  hath  sounded  forth  the  trumpet  which  shall  never  call  retreat; 
He  is  sifting  out  the  hearts  of  men  before  His  judgment  seat; 
Oh,  be  swift,  my  soul,  to  answer  Him  1     be  jubilant,  my  feet ! 
Our  God  is  marching  on. 

In  the  beauty  of  the  lilies  Christ  was  born  across  the  sea, 
With  a  glory  in  His  bosom  that  transfigures  you  and  me; 
As  He  died  to  make  men  holy,  let  us  die  to  make  men  free, 
While  God  is  marching  on. 

Among  General  Armstrong's  papers  was  found  this  word 
that  he  had  written  some  time  before  his  death:   **  It  pays 


Samuel  Chapman  Armstrong — Lesson  Seven  35 

to  follow  one's  best  light — to  put  God  and  country  first,  our- 
selves afterwards." 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Where  was  Samuel  Armstrongs  born,  and  when?     How 
long  did  he  live  ? 

2.  What  was  his  father's  occupation? 

3.  What  do  you  find  in  the  things  he  did  as  a  boy  that 
helped  to  make  him  the  kind  of  man  he  afterward  became  ? 

4.  What  part  did  he  take  in  the  struggle  for  freedom  ? 

5.  What  did  he  do  to  make  freedom  of  real  value  to  the 
colored  men? 

6.  Where  is  Hampton?     Find  it  on  the  map. 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

7.  Start  a  new  page  with  General  Armstrong's  full  name  and  the 
dates  of  his  birth  and  death  at  the  top. 

8.  Write  a  short  outline  of  his  life,  telling  the  important  things  he 
did  after  leaving  his  home  in  Honolulu. 

9.  Find  out  all  you  can  about  Hampton  Institute  and  the  work 
that  is  done  there,  and  write  a  short  story  about  it.  You  can  get 
the  information  needed  at  the  public  library,  in  the  encyclopaedia, 
or  by  writing  to  Hampton  Institute,  Hampton,  Va.,  and  asking 
them  to  send  you  some  information.  There  are  two  very  interest- 
ing articles  about  Hampton  in  The  Outlook  for  July,  1907,  and  The 
Review  of  Reviews  for  September,  1906. 

HOME  WORK. 

10.  Find  out  what  you  can  do  to  help  the  work  at  Hampton  and 
similar  schools,  and  try  to  get  others  to  help,  too. 

11.  Commit  to  memory  The  Battle  Hytnn  of  the  Republic,  . 


36  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

Lesson    8.     JOHN    HOWARD.      The    Champion    of    Prison* 

Reform. 

Born  Sept.  2,  1726;  died  Jan.  20,  1790. 
"  Who  went  about  doing  good."     Acts  10:38. 

An  Imprisonment  that  Bore  Good  Fruit.  A  little  more  than 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  an  Enghsh  vessel  saiHng 
for  Portugal  was  captured  by  a  French  privateer,  England 
and  France  being  then  at  war  with  each  other.  The  pas- 
sengers were  taken  prisoners  and  carried  to  Brest  and  other 
places.  They  were  treated  very  severely,  and  suffered  greatly 
both  from  neglect  and  from  cruelties  practised  upon  them. 
Among  their  number  was  a  young  Englishman  named  John 
Howard,  who  was  attempting  to  go  to  Lisbon  to  see  if  he 
could  be  of  any  service  to  the  sufferers  from  the  great  earth- 
quake which  had  destroyed  that  city.  The  experiences 
which  he  had  upon  this  trip  made  a  deep  impression  upon 
his  mind,  and  undoubtedly  helped  to  prepare  him  for  his  life 
work,  for  years  afterward  he  wrote  of  them  at  the  very 
beginning  of  his  great  book  upon  The  State  of  Prisons,  sl  book 
which  was  destined  to  bring  about  many  reforms  in  the 
treatment  of  prisoners. 

A  Boy  who  was  not  Spoiled  by  Money.  John  Howard's 
father  was  a  well-to-do  merchant,  an  upholsterer,  who  died 
when  John  was  sixteen  years  of  age,  leaving  the  boy  practically 
his  own  master  and  the  possessor  of  considerable  wealth. 
For  most  boys,  this  is  about  the  worst  thing  that  can  possibly 
happen,  to  have  plenty  of  money  and  little  restraint.  But 
John  had  learned  to  control  himself,  so  that  he  did  not  need 
watching,  and  he  had  also  learned  to  estimate  rightly  the 
value  of  money  as  a  means  of  doing  good,  so  that  he  was  not 
spoiled  by  his  freedom  or  his  wealth.  His  early  education 
had  not  been  very  good,  but  he  more  than  made  up  for  its 
deficiencies  at  most  points  by  his  own  habits  of  careful  reading 
and  observation,  and  by  travel. 

A  Humane  Landlord.  In  1758  Mr.  Howard  settled  at 
Cardington,  a  little  village  near  Bedford,  where  he  had  a 
considerable  estate  with  many  tenants.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  looked  upon  this  as  an  opportunity  for  doing  good. 
Instead  of  trying  to  see  how  much  money  they  could  squeeze 
out  of  their  tenants  by  charging  high  rents  for  miserable 
hovels,  they  were  constantly  trying  to  see  what  they  could 


John  Howard — Lesson  Eight 


37 


do  to  make  their  condition  better.  They  had  what  they 
called  their  "  charity  purse,"  into  which  went  all  the  money 
they  could  spare  for  benevolent  objects.  On  one  occasion, 
when  Mr.  Howard  was  figuring  up  his  accounts  for  the  year, 
he  found  a  surplus,  and  proposed  that  they  should  spend  it 
on  a  trip  to  London.  But  Mrs.  Howard  suggested  that  this 
sum  would  be  just  enough  to  build  a  nice  little  home  for  one 
of  their  needy  tenants,  and  to  this  purpose  it  went.  As  a 
result  of  their  work,  "  Cardington,  which  seemed  at  one  time 
to  contain  the  abodes  of  poverty  and  wretchedness,  became 
one  of  the  neatest  villages  in  the  kingdom." 
.  A  Sheriff  who  Tried  to  Help.  In  1773,  a  short  time  before 
our  country  became  independent,  Mr.  Howard  was  appointed 
High  Sheriff  of  the  county  of  Bed- 
ford. He  accepted  this  office  with 
the  same  deep  sense  of  responsi- 
bility that  he  felt  toward  all  his 
work.  He  was  brought  into  very 
close  contact  with  the  prisons  and 
prisoners,  and  saw  so  much  of 
misery  and  suffering  that  seemed 
to  him  unnecessary  that  it  moved 
him  to  pity  and  efforts  for  improve- 
ment. In  those  days  it  was  the 
common  custom  for  jailers  to  get 

their  pay  from  fees   paid   by  the        •  >^^^  a\\\\\ Xv^^s^^ 
prisoners.  .  It  was  also  lawful  for  a 
man   to    be    imprisoned   for   debt.  John  Howard. 

Dr.  Howard  found  men  who  had  been  acquitted  of  the  charge 
on  which  they  were  arrested,  or  who  had  been  ordered  dis- 
charged by  the  courts,  still  held  prisoners  until  they  should 
pay  the  jailer's  fees.  He  at  once  made  application  for  a 
regular  salary  to  be  paid  to  the  jailers,  and  the  abolishment 
of  this  fee  system.  He  was  asked  to  name  any  other  place 
w^here  this  was  done,  and  immediately  started  out  to  visit 
other  parts  of  Great  Britain  to  find  the  precedent,  or  example, 
that  he  desired. 

The  Sorrows  of  the  Prison  House.  Howard  not  only  failed 
to  find  such  precedent,  but  he  found  so  many  terrible  things 
in  the  prevailing  treatment  of  prisoners  at  that  time  that  his 
heart  was  stirred  to  indignant  pity,  and  he  determined  to 
devote  his  life,  or  so  much  of  it  as  might  be  needful,  to  the 


38  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

work  of  reforming  prison  conditions.  He  found  that  prisoners 
were  treated  with  the  rankest  injustice  in  being  held  captive 
long  after  they  should  have  been  discharged;  he  found  con- 
ditions that  undermined  health  and  sent  the  prisoner  out  an 
invalid  for  life,  if  indeed  he  escaped  alive  at  all ;  he  found  con- 
ditions that,  instead  of  reforming  criminals,  made  them  worse 
than  they  had  been.  He  traveled  extensively  not  only  in 
his  own  country,  but  all  through  Europe  as  well,  paying  his 
own  expenses,  and  often  undergoing  great  personal  danger 
and  hardship.  That  such  cruelty  and  injustice  seem  almost 
incredible  to-day  is  a  testimony  to  the  fact  that  the  world 
is  growing  better.  In  England  he  found  men,  and  women 
too,  confined  to  underground  dungeons,  and  debtors  chained 
by  the  leg  to  the  prison  wall,  selling  articles  to  passers-by  in 
order  to  pay  off  their  debt  and  their  fees ;  he  found  one  fright- 
ful cell,  seventeen  feet  long,  eight  feet  wide,  and  five  and  a 
half  feet  high,  entirely  dark,  and  with  no  air  except  what 
could  come  in  through  an  opening  in  the  door  five  by  seven 
inches.  The  room  was  intolerably  filthy  and  unwholesome, 
and  yet  three  persons  had  been  shut  up  there  for  two  months. 
They  could  not  stand  upright,  and  had  to  take  turns  crouching 
at  the  door  to  get  a  few  breaths  of  air  through  the  tiny  open- 
ing, in  order  that  they  might  not  suffocate  entirely.  In  many 
places  the  unhealthful  conditions  gave  rise  to  a  frightful 
disease  called  jail  fever,  of  which  hundreds  of  poor  wretches 
died.  Howard  himself  ran  great  risk  of  catching  this  fever 
as  he  went  ^n  his  tours  of  investigation,  but  he  never  turned 
aside  on  that  account,  for  he  knew  that  the  only  hope  of 
reform  lay  in  telling  people  the  exact  conditions  that  existed. 

In  most  countries  on  the  continent  of  Europe  he  found 
some  things  better,  but  he  also  found  many  terrible  practices, 
such  as  torturing  prisoners  to  make  them  confess,  loading 
them  down  with  heavy  chains,  and  inflicting  cruel  punish- 
ments Hke  that  of  the  knout  in  Russia.  With  iiifinite  patience 
and  persistence  he  kept  at  his  self-appointed  task,  until 
he  had  gathered  a  mass  of  evidence  of  the  inhumanity  of 
prison  customs  in  the  civilized  world  that  fairly  staggered 
people  when  he  published  it  in  his  books. 

There  were  some  punishments  which  had  a  touch  of  humor 
m  them,  as,  for  instance,  the  punishment  meted  out  in  Vienna 
to  bakers  who  sold  short  weight.  These  were  tied  in  their 
own  baskets  and  thoroughly  ducked  at  the  end  of  a  long  pole 


John  Howard — Lesson  Eight  39 

in  the  waters  of  the  Danube.  In  Holland  he  found  places 
where  convicts  were  put  at  useful  employment,  and  this 
rejoiced  him  greatly. 

Reforms  Effected.  As  a  result  of  Howard's  labors  and  his 
descriptions  of  what  he  had  found,  a  number  of  reforms  were 
made,  and  the  conditions  of  the  English  prisons  very  much 
improved.  Many  of  those  on  the  Continent  were  also  im- 
proved because  of  the  frank  words  which  Howard  spoke  to 
officials  and  even  to  kings  as  he  met  them  on  his  travels. 
In  England,  Howard  was  called  before  Parliament  and 
publicly  thanked  for  his  services. 

Another  Labor  of  Love.  During  his  travels,  Mr.  Howard 
had  come  into  contact  with  hospitals  as  well  as  prisons,  and 
found  conditions  there  not  very  much  better.  Nothing  was 
known  at  that  time  of  the  modem  methods  of  treating  disease, 
or  of  scientific  surgery  with  its  antiseptics.  But  conditions 
were  not  even  as  good  as  the  knowledge  of  the  time  might  have 
made  them,  and  Howard  saw  another  opportunity  to  be  of 
service  to  mankind.  And  so  off  he  went  on  another  tour  of 
the  Continent,  trying  to  find  out  just  what  conditions  were 
and  how^  they  might  be  improved.  He  was  especially  in- 
terested in  the  lazarettos,  or  hospitals  for  contagious  and 
infectious  diseases.  In  this  he  ran  fearful  risks  of  being 
stricken  with  the  plague,  but  he  tried  to  take  all  possible 
precautions,  and  went  ahead.  Once  more,  by  making  the 
evils  known  he  led  to  reforms  which  doubtless  saved  thou- 
sands of  lives. 

Secrets  of  Success.  There  are  certain  things  which  account 
for  the  success  of  Howard's  work.  First,  his  great  earnestness 
and  devotion.  He  felt  that  it  was  his  mission  in  life  to  help 
his  fellow  men,  and  he  never  shrank  from  any  opportunity 
to  do  this.  Secondly,  his  personal  influence.  He  was  so 
earnest  and  so  evidently  actuated  by  the  noblest  motives 
that  men  everywhere  respected  and  trusted  him.  He  got 
information  that  many  could  not  have  obtained.  In  one 
place  he  found  that  the  convicts  in  a  prison,  two  hundred 
in  number,  had  mutinied  and  killed  two  keepers,  and  the 
remaining  keepers  were  afraid  to  go  near  the  jail.  Howard 
went  in  alone  and  quieted  the  rioters.  How,  no  one  ever  knew, 
for  he  was  too  modest  to  talk  about  it.  Thirdly,  his  accuracy 
in  observation  and  description  of  details.     He  was  so  careful 


40  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

when  he  went  to  a  prison,  to  see  things  for  himself,  measuring 
the  size  of  windows  and  rooms,  counting  the  number  of  steps 
down  into  a  cell,  etc.,  that  when  he  published  his  books,  his 
account  convinced  his  readers. 

A  Martyr  to  the  Service  of  his  Fellow  Men.  Howard's 
journeys  took  him,  for  the  second  time,  to  Russia  in  1789 
and  1790,  to  continue  his  unwearying  efforts  to  learn  what- 
ever he  might  turn  to  the  advantage  of  the  unfortunate  and 
suffering.  He  had  some  skill  in  medicine,  and  in  the  little 
village  of  Cherson,  about  one  hundred  miles  east  of  Odessa 
on  the  Black  Sea,  he  was  asked  to  attend  a  young  lady  who 
had  been  stricken  with  fever.  He  was  not  strong,  and  the 
exposure  was  too  much  for  him.  He  was  taken  down  with 
the  disease  himself,  and  died  Jan.  20,  1790.  A  monument 
was  erected  to  his  memory  in  St.  Paul's  cathedral,  but  a  still 
better  memorial  is  found  in  the  associations  organized  for  the 
relief  of  prisoners,  that  are  named  after  him.  Few  men  have 
more  unselfishly  devoted  their  money  and  their  lives  to  the 
service  of  their  fellow  men  than  John  Howard.  The  thought 
of  his  life  may  remind  us  of  the  poem  by  Leigh  Hunt  about 
the  good  sheik,  Abou  Ben  Adhem. 

"  Abou  Ben  Adhem  (may  his  tribe  increase  !) 
Awoke  one  night  from  a  deep  dream  of  peace. 
And  saw  within  the  moonlight  in  his  room, 
Making  it  rich  and  hke  a  hly  in  bloom, 
An  angel  writing  in  a  book  of  gold. 
Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold, 
And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  he  said, 
*  What  writest  thou?'    The  vision  raised  its  head, 
And  with  a  look  made  all  of  sweet  accord, 
Answered,  '  The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord.' 
'  And  is  mine  one?'  said  Abou.     '  Nay,  not  so,' 
Replied  the  angel.     Abou  spake  more  low, 
But  cheerly  still;  and  said,  '  I  pray  thee,  then, 
Write  me  as  one  that  loves  his  fellow  men.' 

The  angel  wrote  and  vanished.     The  next  night 

It  came  again  with  a  great  wakening  light 

And  showed  the  names  whom  love  of  God  had  blessed, 

And  lo !     Ben  Adhem's  name  led  all  the  rest." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  story,  and  then  answer  the  following  questions. 

2.  What  experience  first  helped  to  give  Howard  his  sym- 
pathy with  prisoners? 


John  Howard — Lesson  Eight  41 

3.  What  principle  gmded  him  in  the  use  that  he  made  of  his 
time  and  money? 

4.  How  did  he  think  a  landlord  should  treat  his  tenants, 
espeoially  if  they  were  poor? 

5.  What  opportunities  came  to  him  when  he  was  elected 
sheriff? 

6.  How  did  he  think  people  ought  to  feel  toward  prisoners, 
and  how  treat  them  ? 

7.  What  traits  of  character  or  habits  contributed  most 
toward  the  success  of  his  work? 

8.  In  what  respect  did  John  Howard  exemplify  the  spirit 
and  mission  of  Christ?     (Lu.  4: 16-21 ;  comp.  Is.  61 : 1.) 

9.  What  is  being  done,  in  the  spirit  of  John  Howard  to-day, 
to  make  the  conditions  of  prison  life  better  and  to  help  pris- 
oners become  better  men  after  they  are  discharged?  Find 
the  answer  to  this  question  by  looking  up  the  work  of  some 
of  the  prison  associations,  such  as  the  Central  Howard 
Association,  in  Chicago ;  the  New  York  Prison  Association, 
or  the  Prison  Department  of  the  Volunteers  of  America, 
in  New  York  City ;  the  Massachusetts  Prison  Association,  in 
Boston,  the  Canadian  Prison  Association,  in  Toronto.  There 
are  about  thirty  such  associations  in  America,  and  if  you  write 
to  any  one  of  them  for  information,  or  one  of  their  reports, 
you  will  find  out  what  they  are  doing  and  what  people  can  do 
to  help. 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

10.  Write  a  short  story  of  the  hfe  of  John  Howard,  telling  the  most 
interesting  and  important  things  that  he  did. 

11.  Write  down  some  of  the  things  that  are  being  done  for  prisoners 
to-day,  both  to  make  their  imprisonment  more  humane  and  to  help 
them  to  a  better  life. 

12.  Look  up  the  following  passages  and  select  the  one  you  think 
most  appropriate  for  a  motto  with  which  to  close  your  story  of  Howard. 
Is.  42:1,7;  Mt.  25:35,  36,40;  Ps.  79:11;  Prov.  22:29;  1  Jo.  3:23. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Commit  to  memory  the  poem,  Abou  Ben  Adhem. 


42  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

Lesson  9.    FLORENCE  NIGHTINGALE.    A  Pioneer  in 
the  Red  Cross  Movement. 

Born  May  12,  1820;  died  August  13,  1910. 
"  Blessed  are  the  merciful."     Mt.  5:7. 

Saving  a  Dog.  A  little  girl  was  riding  one  day,  with  a 
gentleman,  over  the  downs  of  Hampshire,  in  the  south  of 
England,  when  they  noticed  a  shepherd,  vainly  trying  to 
collect  his  sheep  which  had  become  badly  scattered. 

"  Where  is  your  dog,  Roger?  "  asked  the  gentleman,  as  he 
watched  the  old  man's  efforts. 

"  The  boys  have  been  throwing  stones  at  him,"  replied 
Roger.  "  They  have  broken  his  leg,  poor  beast,  and  he'll 
never  be  able  to  do  anything  more.  I  shall  have  to  put  him 
out  of  his  misery." 

**  Oh,  is  Cap's  leg  broken?  "  cried  the  little  girl.  "  Cannot 
we  do  something  for  him?  Where  is  he?  "  and  she  put  her 
pony  to  the  gallop  toward  the  old  shed  where  the  faithful 
shepherd  dog  lay  suffering. 

The  leg  proved  not  to  be  broken,  but  only  badly  bruised, 
and  the  application  of  hot  bandages  made  such  improvement 
that  old  Roger  was  both  amazed  and  rejoiced  when  he  came 
home  in  the  evening,  and  Cap  was  soon  trotting  about  at  his 
work  of  tending  the  sheep. 

The  Child  Nurse.  This  story  has  been  told  many  times,  for 
the  little  girl  whose  heart  was  moved  with  pity  at  the  suffering 
of  the  shepherd  dog  became  one  of  the  most  famous  women 
in  England,  and  indeed  in  the  whole  world,  and  that  which 
made  her  famous  was  her  tender  sympathy  for  all  who  were 
in  distress,  and  the  cool  head  and  splendid  mind  which  told 
her  what  most  needed  to  be  done.  Even  as  a  little  child  in  her 
play  she  showed  the  traits  that  were  to  be  so  useful  in  later 
life.  Her  dolls  were  always  getting  sick  and  having  to  be 
nursed  back  to  health.  She  was  surgeon  for  all  her  sisters' 
dolls  when  arms  or  legs  or  even  more  important  members 
became  broken.  As  soon  as  she  was  old  enough  to  go  about 
it  was  her  greatest  delight  to  visit  the  homes  of  the  poor  and 
the  sick  of  the  village,  and  carry  them  the  little  delicacies, 
or  clothing  or  other  gifts  which  her  mother,  who  was  quite 
as  tender-hearted  as  she,  was  accustomed  to  send.  Both  she 
and  her  sister  had  many  pets,  but  it  was  noticeable  that 
Florence   paid  "most   attention   to   the  old   and  infirm,   that, 


Florence  Nightingale — Lesson   Nine  43 

because  of  their  weakness,  were  little  noticed  by  the  farm 
hands.  Seldom  did  she  miss  a  morning  without  a  visit  to 
Peggy,  the  old  gray  pony,  with  an  apple  or  lump  of  sugar 
in  her  pocket  for  Peggy  to  nose  out.  She  and  the  birds 
and  squirrels  were  boon  companions,  and  every  mother  bird 
seemed  to  know  that  the  secret  of  her  nest  and  her  little  ones 
was  safe  with  Miss  Florence. 

A  Young  Lady  of  Purpose.  Florence  Nightingale  grew 
to  young  womanhood  under  most  favorable  surroundings. 
She  was  well  taught,  under  firm  but  kindly  discipline,'  and 
became  an  exceptionally  accomplished  young  lady.  She 
had  wealth,  position  in  society,  and  abundant  oi)portunities 
for  enjoyment  in  a  life  of  ease  and  idle  pleasure.  But  such 
a  life  had  no  attraction  for  her.  Gentle,  refined,  and  modest 
as  she  was,  she  had  a  strong  will  and  a  determination  to  be 
of  use  in  the  world.  Her  early  love  of  playing  nurse,  and  the 
equal  pleasura  she  took  in  her  friendly  visits  among  the  poor 
and  the  suffering  after  she  had  grown  to  young  womanhood, 
led  her  to  turn  her  attention  to  nursing  as  a  profession. 

A  Life  Work  that  Required  Courage.  In  these  days,  when 
the  trained  nurse  has  such  an  honored  place  in  our  life,  we 
can  scarcely  imagine  what  it  meant  for  a  young  lady  of  culture 
and  refinement  to  choose  such  a  work  in  England  when 
Florence  Nightingale  was  young.  Professional  nurses  were 
then  found  usually  among  the  lower  grades  of  women.  They 
were,  for  the  most  part,  ignorant,  untrained,  unrehable  and 
even  immoral.  Drunkenness  was  common  among  them,  and 
they  were  anything  but  respected.  But  in  all  this  Miss 
Nightingale  saw  the  greater  need  for  young  women  of  character 
and  refinement  to  give  themselves  to  the  ministry  of  healing 
and  comfort.  And  so,  in  spite  of  the  wonderment  and  criti- 
cisms of  many  of  her  acquaintances,  she  entered  the  Deaconess 
Hospital  at  Kaiserwerth,  on  the  Rhine,  to  receive  her  training 
as  a  nurse.  It  is  good  to  know  that  from  her  parents  she  had 
only  sympathy  and  hearty  support.  She  did  her  work  well, 
and  after  graduating  went  first  to  her  home, '  and  later  to 
London,  where  she  became  interested  in  work  for  street  boys, 
and  soon  took  charge  of  a  Home  for  Sick  Governesses.  Here 
she  had  an  opportunity  to  show  not  only  the  kindness  of  heart 
for  which  she  w^as  already  known,  but  also  the  ability  to 
manage  things  that  was  her  other  strong  characteristic. 


44  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

A  National  Crisis.     In  the  year  1854,  war  broke  out  between 

England  and  Russia,  the  war  which  is  known  in  history  as 
the  Crimean  War.  France  and  Turkey  were  alhes  with 
England,  and  the  conflict  was  long  and  bloody.  Very  early 
in  the  war  the  allied  forces  won  a  great  victory  at  Alma, 
and  the  nation  rejoiced.  But  soon  after  came  sad  news. 
The  gallant  men  who  had  fought  so  bravely  and  had  been 
wounded  in  the  battle  were  in  the  deepest  distress  and  misery. 
No  proper  provisions  had  been  made  for  taking  care  of  the 
sick  and  wounded ;  there  were  no  trained  nurses,  and  stores 
of  medicine  and  supplies  were  in  confusion;  wounded  men 
were  brought  in  from  the  front  and  left  to  suffer  and  to  die 
simply  because  there  was  no  one  to  care  for  them  properly. 
Mr.  William  Howard  Russell,  the  war  correspondent  of  The 
London  Times,  wrote:  **  Are  there  no  devoted  women 
amongst  us,  able  and  willing  to  go  forth  to  minister  to  the 
sick  and  suffering  soldiers  of  the  East  in  the  hospitals  at 
Scutari?  Are  none  of  the  daughters  of  England,  at  this 
extreme  hour  of  need,  ready  for  such  a  work  of  mercy?" 

The  Angel  of  the  Battlefield.  There  was  one,  and  she 
was  fitted  for  the  task.  There  were  plenty  of  tender-hearted, 
loyal  women,  ready  and  willing  to  go,  but  there  was  just  one 
who  had  the  skill,  the  practical  knowledge  of  affairs,  and  the 
administrative  ability  which  was  needed  to  bring  order  out 
of  chaos  and  organize  an  efficient  working  force  of  nurses. 
That  one  was  Florence  Nightingale. 
The  nation  called  her,  and  she  responded 
with  loyal  willingness.  Within  a  week's 
time  she  had  a  band  of  thirty-eight  nurses 
ready  to  start.  They  left  at  night  to 
avoid  pubhc  notice,  for  Miss  Nightingale's 
modesty  always  made  her  shrink  from 
open  praise,  and  landed  at  Scutari  the 
day  before  another  great  battle.  There 
is  not  space  to  tell  of  all  the  details  of 
the  tremendous  task  that  confronted  the 
Lady-in-Chief ,  as  she  was  called.  Imagine 
a  great  barracks  building  turned  into  a 
Florence  Nightingale.  2iospital,  with  long  rows  of  sick  and 
wounded  men,  packed  closely  together,  even  lying  on  the 
floor  in  the  passageways,  without  clean  linen,  without  atten- 


Florence  Nightingale — Lesson  Niiie  45 

tion,  men  with  their  clothing  stiff  and  hard  from  their  own 
blood,  and  everywhere  filth,  rats  and  other  vermin.  Imagine 
a  tender-hearted,  refined  woman  looking  at  all  this,  knowing 
that  it  was  her  task  to  bring  order  out  of  this  confusion,  and 
knowing  too  that  the  lives  of  many  of  these  brave  fellows 
would  depend  upon  how  well  she  did  her  task.  Many  a 
strong  man  would  have  trembled  before  such  responsibility, 
but  Florence  Nightingale  simply  went  to  work.  In  a  short 
time  men  found  themselves  lying  upon  beds  that  were  clean 
and  comfortable,  eating  food  that  was  nourishing  and  well- 
cooked  ;  gentle  hands  attended  to  bodily  needs,  and  tender 
sympathy  brought  comfort  to  hearts  that  were  ready  to  de- 
spair.    As  Francis  Bennoch  has  written: 

**  Neglected,  dying  in  despair, 

They  lay  till  woman  came, 
To  soothe  them  with  her  gentle  care, 

And  feed  life's  flickering  flame. 
When  wounded  sore,  on  fever's  rack. 

Or  cast  away  as  slain, 
She  called  their  fluttering  spirits  back, 

And  gave  them  strength  again." 

The  soldiers  came  to  look  upon  Florence  Nightingale  with 
something  like  w^orship  in  their  hearts.  No  case  was  so  hope- 
less but  she  would  try  to  save.  No  wounds  were  too  horrible 
for  her  to  cleanse  and  bind  up. 

The  Lady  with  the  Lamp.  Day  after  day  she  worked  in  a 
way  that  would  have  prostrated  many  a  more  robust  person, 
and  then  at  night,  with  a  lamp  shaded  by  her  hand  lest  the 
light  disturb  the  sufferers,  she  would  make  the  rounds  of  the 
hospital  to  see  that  all  was  right,  or  to  render  any  service 
that  might  be  needed.  And  so  they  came  to  call  her  "  The 
Lady  with  the  Lamp,"  and  many  a  rough  soldier  turned  to 
kiss  her  shadow  as  it  passed.  Our  own  Longfellow  wrote 
in  her  honor  a  beautiful  poem,  Santa  Filoniena,  in  which  he 
refers  to  this.  When  the  last  hour  came,  as  it  did  for  many 
a  poor  fellow,  the  Lady  with  the  Lamp  was  at  his  bedside 
to  speak  words  of  cheer  and  of  the  love  of  God  and  the  hope 
of  heaven.  No  wonder  they  worshiped  their  Lady-in-Chief. 
Meanwhile  she  was  also  winning  the  confidence  and  respect 
of  officers  and  those  in  authority  at  home  and  on  the  battle- 
field. Her  unerring  wisdom  and  superior  skill  made  even 
c?ld  campaigners  look  on  with  amazement. 


46  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

Almost  a  Mart5nr.  After  several  months  of  such  exhausting 
labor,  Miss  Nightingale  was  herself  stricken  with  fever,  and 
had  need  of  the  same  loving  care  she  had  given  to  others. 
The  news  of  her  illness  was  received  with  consternation, 
and  men  in  the  hospital  at  Scutari,  who  had  looked  unmoved 
upon  death  in  its  most  terrible  forms,  turned  their  faces  to 
the  wall  and  cried  like  children.  But  her  life  was  spared, 
and  she  was  urged  to  go  home  for  rest.  This  she  refused  to  do. 
She  would  not  leave  her  post  as  long  as  there  were  so  many 
to  be  cared  for  and  so  much  to  be  done.  Even  when  the  war 
was  over,  and  all  England  was  rejoicing  over  the  victories, 
she  refused  to  leave  her  post.  The  battles  were  over,  but 
there  were  hundreds  of  wounded  and  sick  who  still  had  to  be 
cared  for. 

A  Nation's  Heroine.  At  last  the  time  came  when  she  felt 
that  she  could  return.  The  British  Government  offered  to 
send  a  warship  to  bring  her  back,  but  she  declined  the  offer 
and  came  home  in  the  ordinary  way,  slipping  quietly  into 
England  and  into  her  old  home  before  any  one  knew  she  had 
returned.  There  is  not  space  to  tell  of  all  the  honors  that 
were  bestowed  upon  her,  but  that  is  just  as  her  modest, 
womanly  heart  would  have  it.  The  testimonial  that  pleased 
her  most  was  a  great  subscription  which  was  raised  to  found 
a  Training  Home  for  Nurses,  which  had  been  one  of  her 
fondest  desires. 

Fruits  of  her  Work.  The  strain  of  the  heavy  labors  in 
Crimea  left  Miss  Nightingale  an  invalid,  but  it  did  not  prevent 
her  from  working.  She  has  gone  steadily  onward  promoting 
by  her  counsel  and  advice  one  good  work  after  another.  She 
has  lived  to  see  the  profession  of  nursing  an  honored  one  in 
England,  with  adequate  provision  for  training.  She  has 
inspired  many  a  young  woman  to  a  life  of  noble  service  and 
self-denial  who  might  otherwise  have  been  an  idler.  Her 
work  in  Crimea  was  the  beginning  of  new  and  better  methods 
of  caring  for  soldiers.  Her  influence  has  led  to  the  organiza- 
tion of  numerous  societies,  like  the  Red  Cross,  that  aim  to 
reduce  the  suffering  and  mortality  from  wounds  and  disease. 
The  losses  of  Japan  from  these  causes  during  her  late  war 
with  Russia  were  lessened  in  an  unparalleled  degree  because 
of  what  the  Japanese  sanitary  commission  learned  directly 
or  indirectly  from  Florence  Nightingale. 


Florence  Nightingale — Lesson  Nine  47 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  carefully  the  story  and  find  out  anything  else  you 
can  about  Miss  Nightingale's  home  life  and  work. 

2.  In  what  ways  did  she  show  in  childhood  the  traits  that 
made  her  famous  later? 

3.  What  did  she  think  was  needed  in  order  to  make  life 
worth  while? 

4.  Why  did  it  take  special  courage  to  undertake  the  life 
work  that  she  chose? 

5.  What  national  emergency  called  her  to  her  greatest 
work  ? 

6.  What  kind  of  task  did  she  find  at  Scutari,  and  how  did 
she  perform  it? 

7.  What  different  kinds  of  service  do  trained  nurses  render 
to-day?  Where  do  they  get  their  training?  What  associa- 
tions of  nurses  are  there  in  your  town  or  city,  and  what  is 
their  purpose  ?  (This  information  can  be  obtained  partly  from 
some  recent  encyclopedia  under  "Nurses"  or  ."  Nursing  "  ; 
or  by  inquiry  of  the  charity  organization  of  any  large  city 
or  town.) 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

8.  Write  "  Florence  Nightingale  "  with  the  date  of  her  birth,  at  the 
top  of  a  new  page  in  your  note-book.  For  a  picture  of  her,  obtain,  if 
possible,  Brown  1237,  Perry  151. 

9.  Write  a  short  account  of  what  most  interests  you  in  her  early 
life. 

10.  Write  a  short  story  of  her  work  during  the  Crimean  War.  Give 
the  different  names  that  were  applied  to  her,  and  tell  why  she  was 
called  by  them. 

11.  Make  a  list  of  the  results  that  have  come  from  the  work  of 
Florence  Nightingale  for  which  we  have  reason  to  be  thankful  to-day. 

12.  Read  the  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan  (Lu.  10:25-37),  and 
write  in  your  note-book  some  points  wherein  Florence  Nightingale  re- 
sembled him. 

13.  Write  a  short  account  of  what  is  being  done  for  the  poor  or  suf- 
fering by  trained  nurses,  in  your  town  or  neighborhood. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Memorize  Mt.  25:31-40,  a  passage  which  has  in  it  the  spirit  that 
inspires  Miss  Nightingale's  life. 


48 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson  10.     GUIDO  FRIDOLIN  VERBECK.     A  Citizen  of  no 
Country  but  Honored  by  Three. 

Born  Jan.  23,  1830;  died  Mar.  10,  1898. 

"By  faith  .  .   .  ,  when  he  was  called,  [he]  obeyed  to  go  out  unto 
a  place  which  he  was  to  receive  for  an  inheritance."     Heb.  11:8. 

A  Man  without  a  Country.  Did  you  ever  read  The  Man 
without  a  Country,  by  Edward  Everett  Hale?  That  is  the 
story  of  a  man  who,  as  punishment  for  unpatriotic  wrong- 
doing, was  deprived  of  his  citizenship  and  obliged  to  forfeit 
the  privilege  of  living  in  or  even  hear- 
ing of  his  native  land.  This  is  the 
story  of  a  man  who  voluntarily  gave 
up  his  native  land,  and  became 
literally  a  citizen  of  no  country,  in 
order  that  he  might  give  himself  to 
heroic,  unselfish  service  to  his  fellow 
men.  It  is  a  story  of  a  great  man 
who  did  great  things  and  won  a  rich 
reward. 

A  Beautiful  Home.  The  story  be- 
gins in  Holland,  that  queer  little 
land  where  canals  run  everywhere, 
where  boats  are  as  plentiful  as  wag- 
ons, where  every  one  learns  to  skate, 
and  where  life  is  a  constant  struggle  with  the  ocean.  It  is  a 
land  with  a  stirring  history,  full  of  incidents  in  which  sheer 
pluck  and  determination  are  pitted  against  superior  force 
and  numbers,  and  pluck  wins.  Here  Guido  Verbeck  was 
born  in  1830,  the  son  of  Carl  Verbeek  (for  that  is  the  true 
spelling  of  the  name)  and  his  wife  Anna.  He  grew  up  in  a 
lovely  home  called  The  Koppel,  surrounded  by  elms  and  pear 
trees  and  walnuts  and  a  splendid  flower  and  vegetable  garden. 
There  was  a  great  hay  loft  in  the  stable ;  there  were  cows  and 
geese,  ducks,  chickens,  and  a  gorgeous  peacock.  For  pets 
Guido  had  rabbits,  two  colts.  Hector  and  Sylvan,  and  a  big 
watchdog.  Castor,  who  was  as  loyal  to  his  master  as  every 
true  boy's  dog  should  be.  The  children  (there  were  eight 
of  them,)  had  their  swing  out  under  a  giant  walnut  tree, 
went  rowing  in  a  big  boat  large  enough  for  all,  and  had  all 
kinds  of  happy  times  to  which  they  looked  back  in  after 
years  with  keen  enjoyment.  » 


Gtiido  Fridolin  Verbeck. 


Guide  Fridolin  Verbeck — Lesson  Ten  49 

Nor  was  life  without  its  excitement,  even  in  that  peaceful 
home.  In  that  land,  ditches  take  the  place  of  fences,  and 
when  baby  Guido  was  but  two  years  old  he  barely  escaped 
ending  his  career  by  falling  into  one  of  these  ditches  from  the 
narrow  footbridge.  Fortunately  for  the  world,  he  was 
dragged  out,  a  much  soused  and  half  frozen  youngster,  and 
saved  for  the  work  he  was  to  do. 

Preparing  for  his  Work.  Guido  went  to  school  at  the 
Moravian  Institute,  and  there  did  good  work  in  all  his  studies, 
but  especially  in  the  languages,  Dutch,  French,  and  German, 
while  English  he  picked  up  from  the  English  pupils  who  were 
boarding  at  the  school.  It  is  very  hard  for  a  Dutch  boy  to 
get  the  soft  th  sound  in  English,  and  Guido  used  to  practice 
on  this  by  saying  over  and  over  again  our  old  friend,  "  The- 
ophilus  Thistle  thrust  three  thousand  thistles  into  the  thick 
of  his  thumb."  Then,  too,  there  were  the  beautiful  services 
at  the  Moravian  church  at  Easter  and  at  Christmas  time, 
when  the  young  hearts  of  the  children  were  filled  not  only 
with  the  holiday  gladness,  but  also  with  love  for  the  Christ 
who  brought  the  spirit  of  truest  love  into  the  world. 

Guido  was  born  at  a  time  when  the  interest  in  mechanical 
pursuits  was  rapidly  increasing,  and  it  was  quite  natural  that 
he  should  have  chosen  to  be  a  civil  engineer,  and  for  this  he 
was  fitted  at  the  institute  in  Utrecht.  Like  many  anothei 
young  European,  he  looked  upon  America  as  the  land  of 
promise  for  a  successful  career,  and  so  to  Amer'ca  he  came. 
From  New  York  he  started  for  Tanktown,  near  Green  Bay, 
Wisconsin,  to  work  in  a  factory  owned  by  another  Hollander. 
From  Buffalo  he  took  a  steamer  for  Green  Bay,  but  it  got  no 
farther  than  Cleveland.  It  was  caught  in  a  fierce  storm  on 
Lake  Erie,  lost  smoke-stack  and  rudder,  and  drifted  hope- 
lessly for  days  with  every  prospect  of  never  reaching  land 
again.  But  God  had  something  else  in  store  for  Verbeck 
than  being  drowned  in  Lake  Erie.  The  steamer  was  finally . 
rescued  by  a  government  boat,  towed  into  the  harbor  of 
Cleveland,  and  from  there  the  young  man  proceeded  by 
another  steamer,  then  by  rail,  and  finally  by  wagon  and 
sleigh  over  the  worst  possible  roads,  to  his  destination.  But 
he  was  not  contented  in  Tanktown  for  long,  nor  indeed  with 
the  profession  of  engineering.  He  went  back  to  New  York, 
then  out  West  to  Arkansas,  but  was  still  restless,  until  finally 
he  became  convinced  that  he  ought  to  devote  his  life  to  mis- 


50  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

sionary  work.  His  mind  thus  made  up,  he  entered  the 
theological  seminary  at  Auburn,  and  began  the  last  stages 
of  his  preparation  for  his  true  life  work. 

The  Work  being  Prepared  for  the  Worker.  Far  away 
across  the  sea  lies  the  Island  Empire  of  Japan,  a  truly  wonder- 
ful country,  with  its  miniature  trees,  and  miniature  people 
with  giant  spirits.  We  know  Japan  now  as  the  country  of 
which  the  whole  world  is  talking,  a  people  that  has  advanced 
almost  at  a  bound  to  a  place  among  the  great  nations  of  the 
earth.  But  when  Guido  Verbeck  was  born  the  world  knew 
little  about  Japan,  and  Japan  knew  even  less  about  the  rest 
of  the  world.  The  Japanese  were  suspicious  of  foreigners, 
and  would  not  permit  them  to  enter  the  country,  nor  were 
their  own  people  allowed  to  go  out.  There  was  one  little 
island,  called  Deshima,  in  the  harbor  in  front  of  Nagasaki^ 
where  a  few  Hollanders  were  allowed  to  live  and  trade.  And 
so  a  little  of  the  light  of  civilization  was  brought  to  their 
doors. 

During  the  Crimean  War,  English  ships  came  to  the  harbor 
of  Nagasaki  to  get  supplies,  and  the  Prince  of  Hizen,  as  that 
part  of  Japan  was  called,  fearing  lest  some  of  the  foreigners 
should  come  in,  or  some  of  his  own  people  should  get  out  to 
the  English  ships,  appointed  one  of  his  officers,  Murata,  to 
see  that  this  did  not  happen.  Murata  set  guards  on  shore 
and  in  a  great  circle  of  boats  about  the  harbor,  and  he  himself 
used  to  go  out  frequently  to  see  that  everything  was  being 
well  done.  While  he  faithfully  obeyed  the  orders  of  his  prince, 
Murata  was  himself  brought  into  .more  or  less  contact  with 
the  Dutch,  and  was  too  intelligent  not  to  see  that  they  knew 
many  things  worth  knowing.  One  day  he  found  floating 
on  the  water  a  book,  the  like  of  which  he  had  never  seen 
before.  He  could  not  read  Dutch,  but  he  got  an  interpreter 
to  read  it  to  him,  and  found  that  it  told  about  the  Creator 
of  the  world,  and  about  Jesus,  who  taught  the  love  of  God 
for  men.  And  thus  did  the  truth  find  a  loophole  even  in 
Japan's  wall  of  defense,  and  begin  to  get  into  the  Island 
Empire. 

The  Opening  of  Japan,  and  the  Coming  of  the  First  Mis- 
sionaries. In  1854,  Commodore  Perry  and  his  famous  fleet 
went  to  Japan,  and  treaties  were  arranged  by  which  the 
Americans  were  permitted  to  land  and  trade.     Soon  after, 


Guido  Fridolin  Verheck — Lesson  Ten  51 

came  the  call  for  missionaries.  It  is  said  that  one  of  the 
princes  of  Japan  remarked,  when  talking  about  the  treaty, 
that  he  would  have  no  objection  to  the  admission  of  the 
foreigners  if  only  opium  and  Christianity  might  be  kept  out. 
This  showed  clearly  that  the  Japanese  did  not  understand 
w^hat  Christianity  really  was,  and  that  missionaries  were 
needed  to  teach  them.  So  the  call  was  sent,  and  on  Saturday 
morning,  the  seventh  of  May,  1859,  the  good  ship  Surprise 
sailed  from  New  York  harbor  with  the  first  three  missionaries 
from  America  to  Japan  on  board.  They  were  Guido  Verbeck, 
Rev.  S.  R.  Brown,  and  Dr.  D.  B.  Simmons,  with  their  wives. 
It  took  longer  to  cross  the  ocean  than  it  does  now,  with  our 
swift  steamers.  The  party  reached  Hongkong  on  the  25th 
of  August,  and  it  was  November  7th  before  Verbeck  reached 
Nagasaki.     What  was  before  him  there  we  shaH  see. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

lo  Read  carefully  the  story  of  Verbeck's  boyhood  and 
youth.  What  incidents  are  there  here  that  remind  you  of 
any  other  characters  you  have  studied  about  in  this  course  ? 

2.  What  trait  of  character  did  he  show  in  his  school  life 
that  helped  to  fit  him  for  the  patient  work  of  later  years? 

3.  Look  up  the  following  named  places  in  your  atlas,  and 
get  an  idea  of  the  distance  that  Verbeck  had  to  go  before  he 
found  his  true  life  work:  Holland,  or  The  Netherlands,  where 
he  was  born ;  New  York ;  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin ;  Helena, 
Arkansas;  and  Nagasaki,  Japan.  Remember  that  he  went 
from  New  York  around  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  to  reach 
Japan. 

4.  Read  what  is  said  about  Japan  and  the  opening  up  of 
that  country.  Find  out  anything  else  you  can  about  the 
country,  and  about  Commodore  Perry's  expedition. 


NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

5.  Start  a  new  page  for  Verbeck.  Write  his  full  name  at  the  top, 
with  the  dates  of  his  birth  and  death.  Leave  a  space  for  a  motto  to 
be  selected  after  you  have  finished  the  study  about  him. 

6.  Write  a  brief  story  of  Verbeck's  boyhood  and  schooldays  and  of 
the  various  things  that  entered  into  his  preparation  for  his  work. 

7.  In  another  paragraph  tell  what  you  have  learned  from  the  story  or 
elsewhere  about  Japan,  and  the  way  in  which  it  was  opened  up  for 
missionary  work. 


52 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


8.  Find  a  map  of  Japan  that  you  can  paste  into  your  note-book,  if 
possible,  or  sketch  an  outline  map  on  which  you  can  locate  the  places 
where  Verbeck  worked. 

9.  Read  Gen.  12  :l-8,  and  write  in  your  note-book  some  particulars 
in  which  Verbeck's  experiences  were  similar  to  Abraham's. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Commit  to  memory  Isaiah  6:8. 


A  Pioneer  in 


Lesson   11.     GUIDO  FRIDOLIN  VERBECK. 

the  New  Civilization  of  Japan. 

"  He  that  goeth  forth  .  .   .   ,  bearing  seed  for  sowing, 
Shall  doubtless- come  again  with  joy,  bringing  his  sheaves  with  him." 
Ps.  126:6. 
"  So  the  man  without  a  nation  helped  to  found  a  nation." 

Perilous  Times  in  a  New  Country.  It  was  no  easy  task  that 
the  first  missionaries  to  Japan  had  before  them.  While 
treaties  had  been  made  which  permitted  foreigners  to  enter 

the  country,  the  Japanese 
people  were  still  suspicious 
of  them,  and  there  were 
many  who  openly  opposed 
the  action  of  their  own 
government  in  admitting 
the  white  men.  Christian- 
ity was  forbidden,  and  all 
over  the  land  were  little 
sign-boards  announcing 
that  fact,  and  offering  re- 
wards for  information  that 
would  lead  to  the  discovery 
and  punishment  of  Japan- 
ese who  had  become  Chris- 
t  i  a  n  s  .  Five  hundred 
pieces  of  silver  were  offered 
to  any  one  who  would  inform  concerning  his  father,  three  hun- 
dred to  the  informer  on  his  brother,  and  so  on. 

One  day,  when  Dr.  Verbeck  tried  to  talk  about  Christianity 
to  a  Japanese,  the  man's  only  response  was  to  put  his  hand 
edgeways  to  his  own  throat.     Buddhism  was  the  religion  of 


A  Decree  against  Christianity. 

This  is  one  of  the  decrees  of  the  government,  and  was 
written  in  the  Japanese  ideograph  on  a  wooden  board. 
It  readB  as  follows: 

ORDER 

Hitherto  the  Christian  Religion  has  been  forbidden, 
and  the  order  must  be  strictly  kept! 

The  corrupt  religion  is  Btrictly  forbidden II 

Done  in  the  3d  mouth  of  the  4th  [>'ear]  of  Kyo  (March, 
1868). 

By  order  of  the  Inugami  Prefecture. 


Guido  Fridolin  Verbeck — Lesson  Eleven  53 

the  country,  and  the  Buddhist  oriests  were  very  jealous  of  any 
influence  that  would  lessen  the*r  power.  They  had  a  wonderful 
secret  organization,  something  like  that  of  the  Inquisition  in 
Spain.  They  were  very  active  in  tracking  down  Christians, 
and  used  spies,  treachery,  imprisonment,  and  torture  in  their 
endeavor  to  stamp  out  this  new  religion,  of  which  they  were 
especially  afraid. 

Patience  and  Perseverance.  Verbeck  saw  that  he  could  not 
openly  preach  the  Gospel  and  make  converts,  so  he  did  what 
he  could.  In  spite  of  all  the  opposition  to  the  Christian 
reUgion,  there  was  a  growing  hunger  for  knowledge  of  the 
world  and  of  the  English  language.  The  government  needed 
men  who  should  be  able  to  act  as  interpreters  in  their  relations 
with  the  English  and  Americans,  and  schools  began  to  be 
founded  for  training  these  men.  Verbeck  was  asked  to  teach, 
and  accepted  the  opportunity,  using  the  New  Testament 
and  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  as  text-books. 
In  this  way  he  was  teaching  these  Japanese  young  men  what 
Christianity  and  American  institutions  really  meant,  and, 
what  was  even  better,  he  was  showing  them  by  his  own  life 
what  a  true  Christian  man  was  like.  He  was  kind,  generous, 
unselfish,  and  never  weary  of  helping  them  in  every  way  he 
possibly  could.  As  they  came  to  know  him  better,  they 
also  came  to  respect  and  love  him.  He  won  their  confidence 
and  trust  absolutely.  He  would  always  tell  them  the  truth 
about  themselves,  but  so  kindly  and  tactfully  as  not  to  give 
offense.  He  would  help  them  to  make  some  improvement 
in  their  way  of  doing  things,  and  then  generously  give  them 
all  the  credit.  This  was  of  especial  importance  among  a 
people  so  sensitive  and  proud  as  the  Japanese. 

Revolutions  and  Civil  War.  During  the  first  part  of 
Verbeck's  work  in  Japan  there  was  constant  unrest  and  con- 
flict in  the  land.  There  was  no  strong  central  government, 
the  country  being  divided  into  numerous  principalities,  each 
with  its  daimio  as  ruler.  These  daimios  acknowledged  the 
emperor  as  their  overlord,  but  the  man  who  had  the  real 
power  was  the  shogun,  or  military  commander-in-chief. 
Some  of  these  clansmen  were  very  hostile  to  the  admission 
of  foreigners,  and  kept  constantly  stirring  up  strife.  There 
were  repeated  revolts  and  conflicts,  involving  various  parts 
of  the  country,  and  at  one  time  Dr.  Verbeck  himself  was 


54  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

obliged  to  leave  Nagasaki  and  take  refuge  on  the  island  of 
Deshima  for  safety. 

Conditions  at  last  became  so  bad  that  no  one's  life  was 
really  safe,  and  in  1864  the  combined  fleets  of  Great  Britain, 
France,  Holland,  and  the  United  States  appeared  before 
Shimonoseki,  to  demand  that  the  daimio  of  Choshiu,  the  clan 
that  was  making  the  most  trouble  at  that  time,  cease  his 
warfare  and  respect  the  treaties  that  had  been  made.  Per- 
suasion having  failed,  the  ships  opened  tire,  and  the  bom- 
bardment that  followed  soon  convinced  the  Japanese  that 
these  '*  barbarians  "  knew  how  to  enforce  their  messages, 
and  that  it  was  futile  to  oppose  them.  This  settled  the  open 
door  question  for  Japan.  It  was  a  severe  lesson,  but  in  the 
end  it  was  the  greatest  service  that  could  have  been  rendered 
the  country. 

A  New  Impetus  to  Learning.  New  schools  were  now  opened 
for  training  interpreters,  and  Dr.  Verbeck  was  appointed  as 
principal  of  the  government  school  at  Nagasaki.  In  his  classes 
he  had  many  of  those  who  were  later  to  hold  positions  of 
power  and  influence  in  the  empire.  Soon  pupils  from  these 
schools  began  to  go  to  America  for  higher  education,  and 
they  came  back  to  their  own  land  full  of  respect  for  the  things 
that  they  had  seen  and  learned  here.  From  all  over  the 
country  came  young  men  eager  for  knowledge,  and  especially 
eager  to  be  in  the  classes  of  the  man  whose  name  seemed  to 
have  become  magnetic.  Many  of  them  actually  thought 
that  the  surest  way  to  influence  and  power  was  to  be  taught 
by  Verbeck.     Perhaps  they  were  right. 

The  Conversion  of  Murata.  In  1866  something  happened 
that  brought  joy  to  the  heart  of  Dr.  Verbeck.  Murata,  the 
officer  who,  twelve  years  before,  had  been  set  to  guard  the 
harbor  of  Nagasaki  against  the  foreigners,  and  had  picked  up 
the  Dutch  Bible  floating  on  the  water,  came  to  Dr.  Verbeck 
to  be  taught  more  about  Christianity.  This  brave  old  sol- 
dier was  full  of  eagerness  to  know  more  of  Jesus  Christ,  for 
whom  he  had  come  to  feel  the  greatest  of  admiration.  As 
he  listened,  his  admiration  grew  into  unswerving  allegiance, 
and  he  and  his  brother  were  baptized,  knowing  full  well  that 
death  would  be  their  penalty  if  they  were  discovered. 

A  Temporary  Setback.  In  the  year  1868  another  revolu- 
tion occurred,   which   resulted   in   restoring  the   mikado,    or 


Guido  Fridolin  Verheck — Lesson  Eleven  55 

emperor,  to  full  power,  and  driving  out  the  shogim,  who  had 
been  the  real  ruler.  It  was  also  the  intent  of  those  who  had 
restored  him  to  power  that  the  foreigners  should  be  expelled. 
This  the  new  government  found  it  rather  difficult  to  do,  so 
they  tried  to  satisfy  the  people  by  more  strict  measures 
against  the  Christians.  New  notices  were  put  up  which 
stated  that  "  The  Evil  Sect  called  Christian  is  strictly  pro- 
hibited." About  four  thousand  Japanese  Christians  were 
taken  from  their  homes,  dressed  in  the  red  suits  used  to 
designate  criminals,  and  sent  out  into  the  provinces  to  work 
as  laborers.  They  were  given  three  years  in  Avhich  to  repent, 
and  if  they  did  not  give  up  their  faith  at  the  expiration  of 
that  time  they  were  to  be  beheaded.  All  this  was 'a  great 
trial  to  Guido  Verbeck,  but  he  kept  on  working,  quietly 
and  patiently,  and  bided  his  time. 

A  New  Opportunity  at  Tokio.  Verbeck's  time  was  to  come. 
The  new  government  established  at  Tokio  was  gathering 
about  itself  men  with  their  faces  toward  the  future,  eager  to 
make  their  nation  great  and  worthy  of  a  place  among  the 
other  nations  of  the  earth.  Many  of  these  men  had  been 
pupils  under  Verbeck,  and  now  they  turned  to  him  for  advice. 
He  was  called  to  Tokio  to  become  head  of  the  Imperial 
University  there,  and  there  he  was  constantly  being  con- 
sulted on  the  most  important  affairs  of  state.  He  showed 
himself  a  true  diplomat,  a  statesman  of  the  finest  type.  With 
his  heart  set  on  just  one  thing,  that  of  m_aking  Japan  a 
Christian  nation,  he  counseled  and  advised  with  consummate 
tact  and  skill,  and  the  Japanese  found  his  counsel  sound. 
In  1871  the  Japanese  government  sent  a  great  embassy  of 
distinguished  men  to  America  and  Europe,  to  study  condi- 
tions there  and  bring  back  report.  Verbeck  himself  was  the 
chief  originator  of  this  embassy,  though  he  never  put  himself 
to  the  front  in  the  matter,  and  he  had  great  hopes  as  to  its 
outcome.     Nor  was  he  disappointed. 

The  Ban  on  Christianity  Removed.  When  this  embassy 
returned,  they  brought  a  careful  report  which  showed  that 
Christianity  was  the  root  of  the  best  things  in  the  civilization 
they  had  found.  Soon  after  this,  the  sign-boards  prohibiting 
Christianity  disappeared  from  the  market-places  of  Japan, 
and  Verbeck  and  the  other  missionaries  found  themselves 
able  to  preach  openly  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 


56  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

Honored  by  the  People  of  his  Adoption.  The  later  years  of 
Verbeck's  life  brought  rich  rewards  for  all  his  labors.  He  was 
appointed  Adviser  to  the  Senate.  The  emperor  conferred 
upon  him  an  honorary  decoration  of  "  The  Order  of  the 
Rising  Sun."  When  Verbeck  began  to  travel  more  freely 
through  the  country  on  his  missionary  tours,  he  found  need 
of  having  a  passport  from  his  own  country  that  should  in- 
dicate that  he  was  under  the  protection  of  some  government. 
But  his  long  absence  from  Holland  had  forfeited  his  citizen- 
ship there,  and  he  had  lived  in  the  United  States  too  short  a 
■feime  to  complete  his  naturalization  as  a  citizen  of  this  country. 
Then  the  Japanese  Emperor  granted  him  not  only  a  passport, 
but  the  right  to  travel  freely  throughout  the  empire,  and  to 
reside  where  he  pleased,  virtually  adopting  him  as  a  citizen 
of  that  country,  an  honor  never  before  granted  to  a  foreigner. 
But  the  reward  that  meant  most  to  Verbeck  was  that  Japan, 
under  the  leadership  of  the  men  whom  he  had  taught,  was' 
rapidly  becoming  more  enlightened  and  more  open  to  Christian 
teaching. 

When  he  died,  his  funeral  was  attended  by  large  numbers 
of  Japanese  officials.  The  emperor  sent  a  representative,  and 
two  companies  of  soldiers  escorted  the  body  to  the  grave. 
The  city  of  Tokio  set  apart  a  lot  for  his  burial  place,  and  the 
Japanese  people  erected  a  handsome  monument  to  his 
memory.  But  his  greatest  monument  is  a  living  one ;  the 
greater  Japan  that  now  is,  and  the  Christian  Japan  that  is 
to  be. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  story  carefully,  and  tell  what  things  you  find 
there  that  show  Dr.  Verbeck's  courage,  his  patience,  his 
unselfishness. 

2.  When  did  Verbeck  reach  Japan  (see  last  lesson)  ?  How 
long  was  it  before  he  could 'openly  do  the  thing  he  came  to  do — 
preach  the  Gospel? 

3.  Where  did  he  begin  his  work  in  Japan?  Where  did  he 
end  it? 

4.  Find  out  what  you  can  about  the  work  of  Christian 
missionaries  in  Japan  to-day,  especially  those  of  your  own 
church.  You  can  get  this  information  from  some  encyclo- 
pedias, under  the  sub-heading,  "  Religion,"  in  the  article  on 
Japan,  or  from  your  church  missionary  papers,  or  by  writing 
to  the  missionary  board  of  your  church. 


Review  of  Lessons  i-ii — Lesson  Twelve  57 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

5.  Read  over  both  of  the  stories  about  Verbeck,  and  mark  on  your 
map  the  places  where  he  worked. 

6.  Add  to  your  paragraph  about  Japan  and  the  way  in  which  it  was 
opened  up  to  missionary  work,  any  additional  facts  that  you  have  now 
learned. 

7.  Write  another  paragraph  telling  what  Verbeck  did  for  Japan. 

8.  Write  down  the  names  of  any  places  in  Japan  where  your  church 
has  missions  that  were  made  possible  by  Verbeck 's  work.  If  possible, 
give  the  names  of  the  missionaries  who  are  working  there. 

SOMETHING  TO  DO. 

Find  out  what  you  or  your  class  can  do  to  help  make  Japan  the 
kind  of  nation  Verbeck  wanted  her  to  become. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Commit  to  memory  Pro  v.  22  : 1,  29. 


Lesson  12.     REVIEW  OF  LESSONS  1-11. 

We  have  now  studied  eight  different  characters,  each 
of  whom  was  a  pioneer  in  some  sense,  either  as  an  explorer 
in  new  country,  or  as  one  who  struck  out  along  new  lines 
of  activity,  or  along  old  lines  in  new  ways.  It  will  be  well  to 
look  back  over  these  studies  and  gather  up  some  of  their 
results.  Read  carefully  the  stories,  and  what  you  have 
written  in  your  note-book  about  each  character,  then  do  the 
review  work  suggested,  as  far  as  possible  from  memory. 

1.  Write  "  CHARACTERS  STUDIED  IN  LESSONS  1- 
11  "  at  the  head  of  a  new  page  in  your  note-book.  Then 
make  a  list  of  the  characters,  giving  the  full  name,  the  time 
when  each  lived,  the  place  where  each  worked,  and  that  for 
which  each  is  famous.  For  example :  Abraham  ;  about  18th 
century  B.C. ;  Palestine;  founder  of  the  Hebrew  nation. 

2.  Name  the  incidents,  taken  from  the  lives  of  any  of  these 
eight,  w^hich  seem  to  you  best  to  illustrate  the  following 
named  traits  of  character:  (i)  Courage,  (2)  Persistence,  (j) 
Patience,  (4)  Truthfulness,  (5)  Kindness,  {6)  Love  for  fellow 
men,  (7)  any  other  trait  that  you  have  observed  for  yourself. 


58  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

Notice  that  all  these  men  and  women  worked  and  made 
sacrifices  because  they  had  a  Christlike  love  for  all  the  world, 
and  His  idea  of  the  sacredness  and  beauty  of  human  life. 

3.  Write  a  short  description  of  the  character  that  you  most 
admire,  and  give  the  reasons  for  your  choice. 

4.  Name  any  forms  of  practical  Christian  service  now  being 
carried  on,  that  you  have  learned  about  in  connection  with 
these  studies. 


SECOND  QUARTER 


Lesson    13.      ELIJAH.      Champion    of    Israel's    Faith    and 
Popular  Liberties. 

1  Ki.  chs.  17-19,  21.     9th  century  b.  c. 
"  If  Jehovah  be  God,  follow  him."     1  Ki.  18: 21. 

The  King  and  the  Prophet.  Long  years  ago,  and  very  far 
away  across  the  sea,  there  lived  a  king  by  the  name  of  Ahab. 
He  ruled  over  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  in  Palestine,  and  made 
it  strong  and  prosperous.  He  seems  to  have  been  brave  in 
battle,  and  to  have  managed  the  affairs  of  his  kingdom  with 
great  wisdom,  according  to  the  world's  way  of  looking  at 
it.  But  he  had  some  serious  faults;  he  valued  power  and 
material  prosperity  above  loyalty  to  God,  and  he  allowed 
himself  to  be  led  into  acts  of  injustice  and  wickedness  in  order 
to  gain  his  own  selfish  ends.  And  these  things  in  time  proved 
his  ruin. 

In  this  same  kingdom  there  Hved  another  and  quite  different 
sort  of  man,  named  Elijah.  He  dwelt  in  the  wilderness,  and 
dressed  in  the  rough  garments  of  a  shepherd,  and  it  is  very 
doubtful  if,  during  the  earlier  years  of  his  life,  king  Ahab 
even  knew  of  Elijah's  existence.  The  day  came,  however, 
when  he  knew  more  than  he  liked  to  of  this  sturdy  prophet. 

The  King  Rebuked.  King  Ahab,  in  order  to  promote  the 
prosperity  of  his  kingdom,  and  increase  her  commerce  and 
wealth,  formed  a  number  of  alliances,  or  treaties,  with  foreign 
nations.  One  was  with  the  Sidonians,  through  his  marriage 
with  Jezebel,  the  daughter  of  the  Sidonian  king.  Such 
alliances  were  all  right  in  themselves,  but  in  those  countries 
there  were  thought  to  be  many  gods,  or  Baalim,  each  nation 
having  its  own  god,  or  Baal,  and  when  such  alliances  were 
made,  the  nation  making  the  treaty  usually  recognized  in 
some  way  the  god  of  the  other  nation.  Even  the  Hebrew 
prophets  in  those  days  did  not  realize  that  there  was  only 
one  true  God,  Jehovah ;  but  they  taught  that  the  Hebrews, 
or  Israelites,  belonged  to  Jehovah,  who  had  chosen  them  as 


60 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Elijah. 

From  the  Copley  Print  of  Sargent's  "  Frieze 
of  the  Prophets"  luthe  Boston  Public  Library. 
(Copyright,  1898,  by  Curtis  and  Cameron.) 


His  own  people,  and  had  saved  them  from  the  Egyptian 
bondage,  and  from  many  other  dangers  and  distresses.     They 

taught  that  because  of  this  kind- 
ness the  people  of  Israel  had  no 
right  to  worship  any  other  god. 
Elijah  believed  this  with  all  his 
heart,  and  was  convinced  that 
Ahab's  alliances  were  wrong,  as 
they  led  the  people  to  worship 
strange  gods.  Believing  this, 
his  duty  was  clear.  Though  but 
a  humble  prophet,  and  knowing 
that  Ahab  might  put  him  to 
death  if  he  chose,  Elijah  sud- 
denly appeared  before  the  king, 
and  announced  the  punishment 
which  he  believed  Jehovah  would 
send  upon  the  land  for  the  sins 
of  king  Ahab:  "  As  Jehovah,  the 
God  of  Israel,  liveth,  there  shall 
not  be  dew  nor  rain  these 
years."  Then  EHjah  disappeared,  and  through  all  the  long 
drought  and  famine  that  followed,  Ahab  could  not  find  him. 

A  Contest  for  the  Honor  of  Jehovah.  The  time  came  when 
Elijah  returned  and  again  met  the  king  face  to  face.  Ahab 
was  angry,  and  cried  out,  "  Is  it  thou,  thou  troubler  of  Israel?" 
But  Elijah  replied,  sternly,  "  I  have  not  troubled  Israel; 
but  thou,  in  that  thou  hast  forsaken  the  commandments  of 
Jehovah."  Then  he  hurled  at  the  king  this  challenge: 
There  was  to  be  a  great  assembly  on  Carmel,  and  there  would 
be  four  hundred  and  fifty  prophets  of  Baal,  and  four  hundred 
more  prophets  of  the  Asherah,  or  sacred  trees,  and  all  of 
these  were  under  queen  Jezebel's  special  protection.  Ehjah 
proposed  that  he,  quite  alone,  should  meet  these  men  and 
make  test  of  the  relative  strength  of  their  gods.  The  day 
came,  and  great  crowds  of  people  were  gathered.  Elijah 
said  to  them,  "  How  long  will  you  go  limping  like  a  lame 
man  between  two  opinions?  If  Jehovah  be  God,  follow  him; 
but  if  Baal,  then  follow  him."  He  then  proposed  that  each 
side  erect  an  altar,  and  prepare  a  sacrifice,  and  pray  for  fire. 
The  god  that  answered  by  fire  was  to  be  recognized  as  God 
in  Israel.      All  the  people  agreed  to  this.      First,  the  Baal 


Lesson  Thirteen — Elijah 


61 


prophets  went  to  work.  They  built  their  altar,  laid  the 
sacrifice  upon  it,  and  began  calhng,  "  O  Baal,  hear  us ! 
O  Baal,  hear  us!"  There  was  no  reply.  They  danced  and 
cut  themselves  with  their  knives,  trying  to  influence  their 
god.  Then  Elijah  began  to  make  fun  of  them.  "  Call 
louder,"  he  said.  "  He  is  a  god;  and  he  may  be  thinking,  or 
perhaps  he  has  gone  away,  or  he  may  be  asleep,  and  must  be 
awakened."  And  the  Baal  prophets  called  until  they  were 
hoarse,  and  jumped  up  and  down  till  they  were  exhausted, 
and  gashed  their  bodies  until  the  blood  streamed  down  upon 
the  ground. 

At  last  Elijah  took  his  turn.  He  repaired  the  altar  of 
Jehovah  that  had  been  neglected  and  had  fallen  into  ruin. 
He  prepared  the  sacrifice  upon  it,  and,  in  order  to  make  the 
test  more  impressive,  he  ordered  that  the  whole  should  be 
drenched  with  water  until  it  was  soaking  wet,  and  the  water 


Mount  Carmel. 


Pr»m  a  pbotfgraph. 


filled  the  trench  that  was  dug  around  the  altar.  Then,  with 
quiet  dignity,  he  approached  the  altar,  and  uttered  this 
prayer: 

"  O  Jehovah,  the  God  of  Abraham,  of  Isaac,  and  of  Israel,  let  it 
be  known  this  day  that  thou  art  God  in  Israel,  and  that  I  am  thy 
servant,  and  that  I  have  done  all  these  things  at  thy  word.  Hear 
me,  O  Jehovah,  hear  me,  that  this  people  may  know  that  thou,  Jehovah, 
art  God,  and  that  thou  hast  turned  their  heart  back  again." 

And  with  this,  Hghtning  fell  from  heaven  upon  the  altar, 
and  consumed  the  sacrifice,  and  dried  up  the  water,  and  the 
people  fell  to  the  ground  in  awe  and  amazement,  crving  out, 
"  Jehovah,  he  is  God  ;  Jehovah,  he  is  God."     Then,  at  Elijah's 


62  H§f0^s  of  the  Faith 

command,  all  the  prophets  of  Baal  were  slain  by  the  people 
whom  they  had  deceived. 

Elijah  in  Peril.  Queen  Jezebel  was  terribly  angry  when  she 
heard  what  had  happened,  for  the  Baal  religion  was  her 
religion,  and  she  had  been  responsible  for  bringing  many  of 
these  Baal  prophets  into  the  country.  Elijah's  deed  was  also 
a  rebuke  to  her.  She  vowed  to  have  his  Hfe,  and  Elijah  fled. 
He  hastened  toward  Mount  Horeb,  or  Sinai,  where  God 
was  thought  to  have  His  special  dwelling-place,  and  there 
hid  in  a  cave.  While  there,  he  had  an  experience  in  which 
God  revealed  more  clearly  to  him  that  His  kingdom  is  not 
to  be  established  through  force,  but  rather  through  quiet 
personal  influence,  and  through  obeying  the  voice  of  con- 
science. Elijah  had  done  what  he  believed  to  be  right,  and 
God  had  honored  his  faith  ;  but  he  wished  to  teach  the  earnest 
prophet  that  there  was  a  better  way.  You  can  read  about 
this  in  1  Ki.  19:9-12.  And  Elijah  was  soon  to  have  the 
chance  to  teach  this  lesson  to  the  king. 

An  Unjust  Deed.  There  lived  in  the  kingdom  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Naboth,  who  owned  a  vineyard  in  Jezreel,  which 
had  come  down  to  him  from  his  ancestors.  It  happened  to 
be  near  Ahab's  palace,  and  Ahab  wanted  to  buy  it  to  add  to 
his  gardens.  Naboth,  however,  declined  the  offer,  as  he  did 
not  wish  to  part  with  his  family  inheritance.  Ahab  went 
home  very  much  out  of  sorts,  and  threw  himself  down  on 
the  bed  like  a  spoiled  child,  and  refused  to  eat.  Soon  Jezebel 
came  in  and  asked  what  was  the  matter.  **  Naboth  the 
Jezreelite  will  not  sell  me  his  vineyard,"  whined  the  king. 
Now  in  the  country  of  Jezebel  the  kings  were  more  absolute 
monarchs,  and  more  tyrannical,  than  they  had  become  in 
the  land  of  Israel,  and  Jezebel  gave  quick  advice  from  her 
own  experience.  "  Are  you  king  in  Israel?"  she  asked. 
"  Come,  cheer  up,  and  I  will  get  Naboth 's  vineyard  for  you." 
So  she  sent  written  orders  to  some  of  the  court  officers  to 
arrest  Naboth,  and  have  him  accused  of  some  crime  and  then 
put  to  death.  When  she  had  written  the  letters,  she  sealed 
them  with  Ahab's  royal  signet  ring.  The  officers  did  as  she 
commanded,  and  then  Jezebel  said  triumphantly  to  Ahab, 
**  Arise  now,  and  go  take  the  vineyard  that  Naboth  refused 
to  sell  to  you,  for  Naboth  is  dead."     So  Ahab  got  his  vineyard, 


Lesson  Thirteen — Elijah  63 

but  tne  act  brought  a  dreadful  penalty  on  him  and  on  his 
wicked  queen. 

The  Champion  of  the  Rights  of  the  People.  Elijah  soon 
heard  of  the  act  of  Jezebel  and  Ahab,  and  hurried  to  accuse 
Ahab,  his  soul  full  of  righteous  indignation  at  this  wicked 
disregard  of  popular  rights  and  of  justice.  He  found  the  king 
in  Naboth's  vineyard,  surveying  his  ill-gotten  possession, 
and  the  king's  guilty  conscience  told  him  what  was  coming. 
"  Hast  thou  found  me,  O  mine  enemy?"  asked  Ahab.  And 
Elijah  replied,  "  I  have  found  thee,  because  thou  hast  sold 
thyself  to  do  that  which  is  evil  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah. 
Jehovah  shall  bring  evil  upon  thee,  and  utterly  cut  off  all 
that  are  of  thine  house.  And  the  dogs  shall  eat  Jezebel  by 
the  ramparts  of  Jezreel."  And  with  these  words,  the  prophet 
of  righteousness  left  the  guilty  king  to  his  own  conscience. 
The  Books  of  Kings  tell  how  king  Ahab  repented  in  fear, 
but  too  late  to  undo  all  the  mischief,  and  how  the  words  of 
Elijah  came  true,  of  the  punishment  that  came  upon  the  house 
of  Ahab,  and  of  the  terrible  fate  of  the  proud  and  haughty 
Jezebel  who  had  persuaded  Ahab  to  play  the  tyrant. 

As  for  Elijah,  he  went  his  way  among  the  people,  a  strong 
man,  respected  by  all  for  his  uprightness  and  justice,  until 
God  took  him  to  Himself.  And  to-day,  among  people  to 
whom  the  name  of  Ahab  is  almost  unknown,  Elijah  the  proph- 
et is  known  as  the  Champion  of  Israel's  Faith  and  Popular 
Liberties. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story  and  also  the  Elijah  stories  in 
1  Ki.  chs.  17-19,  21,  and  2  Ki.  1:1—2:12. 

2.  Where  was  Elijah  during  the  famine  (1  Ki.  ch.  17)? 
How  was  his  life  saved  ? 

3.  Tell  in  your  own  words  the  story  of  the  contest  on 
Mount  Carmel,  and  its  result.  (See  lesson  story  and  1  Ki. 
ch.  18.) 

4.  What  commandment  did  the  people  disobey  in  wor- 
shiping Baal  ?     (Ex.  20 : 3 ;  34 :  14.) 

5.  Tell  the  story  of  Elijah's  experience  at  Mount  Horeb, 
and  the  lesson  he  learned  from  it.     (1  Ki.  19: 1-18.) 

6.  Tell  the  story  of  Naboth's  vineyard.  What  punishment 
did  Elijah  say  was  to  come  upon  Ahab  and  Jezebel  (lesson 


64  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

story  and  1  Ki.  ch.  21)?     How  were  Elijah's  predictions  ful- 
filled (1  Ki.  22:29-38  and  2  Ki.  ch.  9)? 

7.  Tell  the  story  of  the  end  of  Elijah's  life.     (2  Ki.  2: 1-12.) 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

8.  Start  a  new  book  for  this  quarter's  work,  with  the  first  page  for 
EHjah.  Write  his  name  at  the  top,  and  leave  space  underneath  for  a 
motto  or  sentence  that  seems  to  you  to  describe  the  spirit  of  the  man 
and  his  work.  This  sentence  is  to  be  selected  after  you  have  finished 
the  study. 

9.  Select  a  picture  for  this  lesson.  Some  good  ones  are  Sargent's 
Prophets  (Brown  No.  844,  Perry  No.  1036,  Wilde  No.  503);  Bonts, 
Elijah  in  the  Desert  (Wilde  No.  495) ;  Dore,  Slaughter  of  the  Prophets 
of  Baal  (Wilde  No.  494).  Paste  the  picture  selected  on  the  first  page 
of  your  book. 

10.  Write  a  short  outline  sketch  of  the  life  of  Elijah,  putting  into 
it  in  fuller  detail  the  story  about  him  that  you  like  best. 

11.  What  do  you  most  admire  in  the  character  of  Elijah? 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  1  Ki.  19: 1-18  to  use  as  a  declamation. 


Lesson  14.     AMOS.     The  Herdsman  Prophet. 

Between  780  and  740  b.  c. 

"Jehovah  took  me  from  following  the  flock,  and  Jehovah  said  unto 
me,  Go,  prophesy  unto  my  people  Israel."     Amos  7: 15. 

An  Interrupted  Festival.  A  religious  festival  was  going  on 
at  Bethel,  one  of  the  sacred  shrines  of  Israel.  There  were 
scenes  of  rejoicing  and  revelry,  and  of  dissipation  as  well. 
There  was  much  wine  being  drunk,  and  the  people  danced  in 
a  frenzy  of  excitement  about  the  image  of  the  bull  which  the 
king  had  set  up.  They  were  especially  joyful  this  year,  for 
business  had  been  good,  the  king  had  won  many  battles, 
neighboring  nations  had  been  subjugated,  the  men  of  Israel 
had  been  getting  rich,  and  everything  looked  prosperous. 

Suddenly  a  strange,  wild-looking  man  pushed  his  way 
through  the  crowd  to  a  place  where  all  could  see  him.  His 
dress  and  appearance  showed  that  he  was  a  laboring  man,  a 
shepherd,  but  there  was  something  in  his  bearing  and  in  the 


Lesson  Fourteen — Amos 


65 


expression  of  his  face  that  made  men  give  way  before  him 
with  respect,  and  turn  to  look  after  him  curiously.  Now  he 
raises  his  voice,  not  in  joyful  celebration,  but  in  a  piercing 
wail  of  lamentation : 

"  The  virgin  of  Israel  is  fallen; 
She  shall  no  more  rise: 
She  is  cast  down  upon  her  land ; 
There  is  none  to  raise  her  up." 

The  people  were  amazed  and  troubled.  What  does  the 
man  mean?  Why  does  he  raise  this  lamentation  to  spoil  the 
merrymaking?  What  blasphemy,  to  speak  evil  of  the  nation 
when  all  can  see  that  she  is  prosperous  !  Who  is  the  man, 
any  way?  And  some  one  said,  in  awestruck  tones,  "  'Tis  the 
shepherd  prophet,  Amos ;  and  this  is  not  the  first  time  he  has 
raised  his  voice  in  condemnation  of  the  nation  for  its  sins. 
What  will  the  king  and  the  high  priest  say?  " 

A  Rebuke  that  Failed.  They  soon  found  out.  The  high 
priest,  Amaziah,  had  been  troubled  before  by  this  uncom- 
fortable prophet,  who  insisted  upon  calling 
things  by  their  right  names,  and  denouncing 
wrongdoing  wherever  he  saw  it.  Only  a  short 
time  before  this  the  priest  had  said  to  the  king, 
"  It  will  never  do  to  have  this  fellow  speaking 
against  your  rule  in  this  way  ;  the  people  cannot 
stand  it."  And  now  the  high  priest  undertakes 
to  rebuke  the  prophet  himself.  Dressed  in  his 
magnificent  robes,  he  advances  upon  the  roughly 
clad  shepherd,  with  stern  anger  in  his  face. 
"  You  seer !  "  he  cries,  "  go  home  to  your  own 
land,  and  prophesy  for  your  living,  but  do  so 
here  at  Bethel  no  more,  for  this  is  the  king's 
sanctuary,  and  a  royal  house  !  "  There  was  a 
faint  murmur  of  approval  from  the  interrupted 
merrymakers.  "  Ah  ha !  now  see  him  slink 
away.  How  dared  he  speak  thus  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  high  priest !  " 

But  those  who  expected  to  see  the  prophet  cower  before 
his  stately  opponent  were  greatly  mistaken.  Instead  of  that, 
he  drew  himself  up  with  a  gesture  that  was  royal  in  its  sug- 
gestion of  authority.  Here  was  the  very  man  he  desired  to 
meet;  one  of  those  who  was  leading  the  people  astray.     "  I 


Amos. 
From    a    Coplay 
print,  copyright  by 
Curtis  &  Cameron. 


66  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

am  no  professional  prophet !  "  he  cried,  his  eyes  flashing  de- 
fiance and  righteous  indignation  at  the  priest.  "  I  was  a 
shepherd  and  a  farmer,  and  Jehovah  took  me  from  that  work, 
and  gave  me  a  message  for  this  people.  And  now  do  you  say, 
*  Prophesy  not  against  Israel  '1  Hear  me,  Amaziah.  Disas- 
ter and  punishment  shall  come  upon  you  and  your  family  for 
your  sin,  and  you  shall  die  a  captive  in  a  strange  land  !  " 

The  people  could  hardly  believe  their  ears,  nor  their  eyes 
either,  as  they  saw  the  proud  priest  cringe  before  the  stinging 
rebuke  of  the  prophet.  Here  was  a  bold  man  surely ;  what  if 
he  should  be  right? 

What  the  Prophet  Condemned.  There  was  need  for  some 
one  to  raise  his  voice  in  rebuke,  and  to  arouse  Israel  to  a  sense 
of  her  shortcomings.  In  the  midst  of  material  prosperity, 
the  people  had  grown  selfish  and  careless.  It  was  not  the 
worst  of  their  evils  that  they  had  broken  the  commandment 
against  setting  up  images  for  worship ;  they  had  done  worse 
than  that.  The  rich  had  grown  richer  by  deeds  of  injustice, 
and  even  cruelty.  The  poor  had  been  oppressed,  and  the 
little  they  possessed  had  been  taken  away  from  them  in  order 
that  the  idle,  luxurious  wives  and  children  of  the  rich  might 
live  in  greater  ease  and  comfort.  Intemperance  and  drunk- 
enness were  everywhere  to  be  seen.  Impurity  of  thought 
and  speech  and  action  were  common.  Israel  was  rapidly 
becoming  as  bad  as  the  nations  round  about  her,  idolatrous, 
corrupt,  utterly  selfish ;  and  the  prophet  Amos,  tending  his 
flocks  on  the  hillsides  of  Tekoa,  had  seen  what  was  going  on, 
and  knew  that  such  things  could  not  continue  long  without 
bringing  ruin  in  more  ways  than  one.  And,  as  he  thought  it 
all  over,  he  began  to  see  that  God  was  calling  him  to  be  His 
messenger,  to  speak  to  the  people,  and  reprove  them  for  their 
sins  and  warn  them  of  their  danger. 

How  Amos  Got  the  Attention  of  the  People.  Amos  was  a 
skilful  speaker.  He  knew  that  if  he  began  at  once  to  de- 
nounce the  people  of  Israel,  they  would  not  listen  at  all.  So 
one  day  he  appeared  in  a  public  place,  and  cried  out,  "  Je- 
hovah will  roar  from  Zion,  and  utter  his  voice  from  Jerusalem." 
And  the  people  stopped  to  hear  what  this  man  would  say  in 
the  name  of  Jehovah.  "  For  three  transgressions  of  Damas^ 
cus,  yea,  for  four,  I  will  not  turn  away  the  punishment 
thereof."     And  as  the  prophet  went  on  to  tell  of  the  wrongs 


Lesson  Fourteen — Amos  67 

done  by  their  old  enemy,  Syria,  the  people  nodded  approv- 
ingly and  said,  "  Serves  them  right,  they  ought  to  be  pun- 
ished." "  For  three  transgressions  of  Gaza,  yea,  for  four,  I 
will  not  turn  away  the  punishment  thereof,"  continued  the 
prophet ;  and  the  people  were  again  delighted  with  the  con- 
demnation of  another  old  enemy,  the  Philistines.  So  it  went 
on,  until  the  prophet  had  their  attention  and  their  approval, 
as  he  foretold  punishment  upon  one  after  another  of  their 
hated  foes,  and  they  never  noticed  that  he  was  getting  closer 
home  all  the  time.  Suddenly  they  looked  up,  startled  and 
astonished — what  did  they  hear?  "  For  three  transgressions 
of  Israel,  yea,  for  four,  I  will  not  turn  away  the  punishment 
thereof:  because  they  have  sold  the  righteous  for  silver,  and 
the  needy  for  a  pair  of  shoes."  Ah,  Israel,  you  approved 
when  the  prophet  spoke  of  punishment  to  come  upon  others 
for  their  sins ;  you  cannot  dodge,  now  that  it  has  come  home 
to  you.  The  people  never  could  forget  that  sermon,  much 
as  many  of  them  would  have  liked  to. 

The  Pimishment  of  Israel.  Amos  was  a  far-sighted  man, 
who  studied  what  was  happening,  and  saw  what  was  surely 
coming  if  Israel  went  on  in  her  course.  The  great  Assyrian 
nation  to  the  north  of  them  was  growing  stronger  all  the 
while,  and  Amos  saw  that  it  would  not  be  very  long  before 
Israel  w^ould  fall  before  it,  as  so  many  others  had  done.  The 
day  would  come  when  the  intruder  would  be  upon  them,  and 
men  should  flee,  and  yet  not  escape,  and  even  the  brave 
should  run  away  from  the  peril  that  threatened.  Then 
those  who  might  gladly  hear  what  God  had  to  say  through 
His  prophets  should  have  no  opportunity  so  to  do,  for  all 
would  be  carried  away  into  captivity  among  strange  nations. 
Their  beautiful  palaces  would  be  in  ruins,  their  fair  fields 
would  be  laid  waste,  and  the  rich  and  prosperous  nation  of 
Israel  would  be  desolate,  with  none  to  raise  her  up. 

Thus  Amos  taught  the  lesson  that  others  of  the  prophets 
also  taught,  that  wealth  and  prosperity,  without  righteous- 
ness, was  no  blessing,  bvt  only  a  curse ;  and  that  whoever 
transgressed  God's  law  in  order  to  gain  his  own  selfish  ends 
will  surely  suffer  for  it.  It  took  courage  of  a  very  high  order 
to  speak  so  plainly  the  truth  that  men  needed  to  hear  in  spite 
of  their  unwillingness  to  listen.  And  there  are  prophets 
to-day,  just  as  courageous  and  just  as  clear-sighted,  who  are 


68  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

against  injustice  and  wrongdoing  whether  by  rich  or  poor, 
and  they  are  all  messengers  of  God. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  story,  and  then  the  Book  of  Amos,  remember- 
ing that  it  consists  of  three  sections:  chs.  1,  2,  the  Intro- 
duction; chs.  3-6,  a  series  of  addresses  of  condemnation ;  and 
chs.  7-9,  a  series  of  visions  of  what  was  to  come  upon 
Israel,  with  a  short  bit  of  narrative  in  ch.  7,  and  some  remarks 
upon  Israel's  sins. 

2.  Notice  carefully,  as  you  read,  what  is  said  about  the 
prosperity  of  the  nation,  the  wrongs  that  were  common,  and 
the  punishments  that  God  would  send. 

3.  Read  Lu.  9:25;  Prov.  14:34,  and  find  other  Scriptural 
expressions  of  the  same  lesson  that  Amos  taught.  Can  you 
find  instances  of  it  in  modern  life  ? 

4.  Upon  whose  authority  did  Amaziah  order  Amos  not  to 
prophesy  at  Bethel? 

5.  Upon  whose  authority  did  Amos  declare  that  he  would 
speak  his  message  ? 

6.  Read  Acts  4: 1-20  and  see  if  you  can  find  there  a  similar 
case  of  courage. 

7.  Under  what  circumstances  is  it  right  not  to  obey  those 
who  have  legal  authority? 

8.  Read  Micah  6:8,  and  find  there  a  summary  of  right 
conduct  as  the  prophets  saw  it. 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

9.  Write  the  heading  for  your  Amos  story  at  the  top  of  a  new  page. 
A  good  motto  to  put  underneath  might  be  the  words  of  Amos  to  Ama- 
ziah in  7:14, 15. 

10.  Paste  underneath  the  heading  Sargent's  picture  of  Amos 
(Brown  No.  843,  Perry  No.  1034,  Wilde  No.  505). 

11.  Write  a  story  of  the  work  of  Amos,  bringing  in  the  following 
points,  the  information  for  which  may  be  found  in  the  story  and 
the  Scripture  references  given. 

Who  Amos  was,  and  where  he  came  from:  Amos  7: 14. 

The  kings  of  Israel  and   Judah  in  whose   reigns  he  prophesied: 

Amos  1:1. 
The  political  successes  of  Israel  under  Jeroboam  II:    2  Ki.  14.  25. 

28. 
The  signs  of  prosperity  and  wealth:  Amos  3:12,  15;  5:11;  6:4-6, 


Lesson  Fifteen — Jeremiah 


69 


The  wrongs  of  the  nation's  social  Hfe:    Amos  2:6;  3: 10;  5: 10-12;  8: 

4-6. 
The  penalties  that  Amos  predicted:  Amos  2:1 3- 16;  3:11,  15;  8:10- 

12;  9-9,  10. 
The  good  that  God  would  send  the  people  after  they  had  repented : 

Amos  9: 11-15. 

12.   Write  at  the  close  of  your  story  the  words  of  Micah  in  Micah  6 : 8. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

The  book  of  Amos  is  full  of  addresses  which  make  fine  declamations: 
for  instance,  ch.  4;  5:1-15;  ch.  8;  9:7-15. 
Learn  Micah  6:8. 


Lesson  15.     JEREMIAH.     The    Enlightened    Conscience    of 

Judah. 

2  Ki.  chs.  21-23;  Jer.  chs.  1,  19,  36-39.     From  626  to  about  580  b.  c. 

"Jehovah  said  unto  me.  Say  not,  I  am  a  child;  for  to  whomsoever 
I  shall  send  thee  thou  shalt  go,  and  whatsoever  I  shall  command  thee 
thou  shalt  speak."     Jer.  1:7. 

Troublous  Times  in  Judah.  About  one  hundred  years  after 
the  time  of  Amos,  there  Hved  in  the  little  village  of  Anathoth, 
near  Jerusalem,  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Jeremiah, 
among  whose  ancestors  had  been  some  famous  priests.  Jere- 
miah was  very  modest,  though 
possessed  of  great  ability  and 
courage.  He  was  patriotic,  too, 
and  this  led  him  into  much 
trouble,  for  things  did  not  go 
well  with  the  people  of  Judah 
during  his  life.  Years  before, 
the  great  king  Hezekiah  had 
started  a  reform  which  much 
improved  the  moral  and  relig- 
ious conditions  of  the  land. 
Then  had  come  his  son,  Manas- 
seh,  under  whose  rule  those 
who  worshiped  Jehovah  expe- 
rienced evil  times.  Manasseh 
followed    by    Amon,    his 


The  Piophet  Jeremiah. 

By  Michael  Angelo. 


was 

son,   but   he   reigned   only   two  years,    when   he   was   assas- 
sinated by  some  of  his  servants.     The  people  rose 


against 


70 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


the  conspirators,  put  them  to  death,  and  placed  the  young 
prince  Josiah  on  the  throne. 

Called  to  be  a  Prophet.  Jeremiah  felt  keenly  the  troubled 
state  of  affairs.  From  his  earliest  childhood,  he  had  been 
taught  to  love  his  country,  and  he  believed  that  God  had 
some  special  purpose  for  His  people.  He  had  also  been  taught 
that  he  should  serve  God  as  his  fathers  had  done. 

Finally,  the  time  came  when  he  felt  that  God  was  calling 
him  to  begin  his  life-work  of  preaching  to  the  people.  In 
his  youth  and  inexperience,  he  shrank  from  the  task,  know- 
ing that  it  would  be  no  easy  one.  If  he  were  faithful  to  his 
duty,  he  would  have  to  say  some  very  unpleasant  things — 
things  that  would  make  his  countrymen  angry.  They  would 
refuse  to  listen  to  him;  they  might  even  do  him  harm.  It 
was  a  hard  struggle,  but  so  great  was  Jeremiah's  sense  of 
duty,  and  so  clear  his  conviction  that  God  was  calling  him 
to  this  work,  that  he  went  into  it  in  spite  of  all  misgivings, 
and  never  turned  back,  even  though  it  more  than  once  led 
him  into  deadly  peril. 

King  Josiah's  Reforms."  About  five  years  after  Jeremiah 
began  his  work,  a  law  book  was  found  in  the  temple,  which 
was  probably  our  Book  of  Deuteron- 
omy. It  was  read  to  the  king,  and 
it  affected  him  greatly  when  he  real- 
ized how  his  people,  through  igno- 
rance, had  not  kept  the  laws  of  God. 
He  walked  up  and  down,  tore  his 
outer  robe  to  show  his  grief,  and  de- 
clared that  reforms  must  be  made  at 
once,  in  accordance  with  the  teach- 
ings of  this  book.  Conditions  began 
to  improve,  but  soon  a  great  disaster 
came. 

Fatal  Battle  of  Megiddo.  There 
ruled  in  Egypt  at  this  time  a  great 
Pharaoh,  Necoh  II,  who  was  trying 
to  take  back  from  the  Assyrians  the 
country  Egypt  had  once  possessed.  The  king  of  Judah  was  a 
vassal  of  Assyria,  and  when  Necoh  marched  north  with  his 
armies,  Josiah  decided  to  oppose  him.  It  was  a  rash  undertak- 
ing, since  Josiah  lost  not  only  the  battle  but  his  life.     His  son 


A  Book  of  the  Law. 

From  a  photograph  of  an  ancient 
copy  of  the  Pentateuch  at  Shechem. 


Lesson  Fifteen — Jeremiah  71 

became  king,  but  only  for  three  months,  when  Necoh  placed 
Jehoiakim,  another  son  of  Josiah,  upon  the  throne  of  Judah. 

More  Troubles  for  the  Prophet.  Jehoiakim  was  a  selfish, 
luxury-loving  king.  In  spite  of  the  heavy  tribute,  or  tax, 
imposed  by  Necoh  upon  the  land,  he  had  a  costly  palace 
built,  forcing  men  to  work  on  it  without  pay.  In  Jer.  22: 
13-17  are  recorded  words  that  the  prophet  spoke  when  re- 
buking the  king  for  this  injustice.  As  is  usually  the  case, 
when  thoroughly  selfish  men  are  reproved  for  their  wrong- 
doing, many  of  Jeremiah's  countrymen,  who  may  have  been 
interested  in  the  king's  projects,  became  angry  at  the  brave 
prophet,  and  formed  a  plot  to  take  his  life.  The  prophet 
learned  of  it;  but  instead  of  being  afraid,  he  publicly  an- 
nounced the  conspiracy,  and  denounced  the  conspirators. 
Soon  after  this,  Jeremiah  went  to  the  temple  and  there  de- 
livered a  powerful  sermon  to  a  great  congregation.  It  was 
a  scathing  rebuke  for  their  wickedness  and  for  the  insincerity 
of  their  religious  life.  Among  other  things,  he  predicted 
that  Jerusalem  and  the  temple  would  be  destroyed  as  a  pun- 
ishment. This  was  like  blasphemy  to  most  of  the  people, 
since  it  implied  that  Jehovah  was  not  strong  enough  to  defend 
His  temple  and  the  Holy  City  from  harm.  The  priests  and 
prophets  tried  to  have  Jeremiah  put  to  death,  and  he  was 
only  saved  by  the  interference  of  some  princes. 

The  next  thing  Jeremiah  did  was  to  take  a  number  of  the 
chief  men  of  the  city  out  into  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  where 
all  the  refuse  of  Jerusalem  was  thrown,  and  there  he  dashed 
in  pieces  an  earthen  vessel,  saying:  "  Thus  saith  Jehovah  of 
hosts,  the  God  of  Israel,  .  .  .  even  so  will  I  break  this  people 
and  this  city."  This  made  Pashhur,  the  chief  officer  of  the 
temple,  so  angry  that  he  struck  Jeremiah,  and  put  him  in  the 
public  stocks. 

Jeremiah  Collects  his  Sermons.  Jeremiah  now  saw  that 
he  could  not  go  on  speaking  so  plainly  without  danger  of 
imprisonment  or  death,  but  he  had  not  the  slightest  idea  of 
stopping  on  that  account,  for  his  conscience  told  him  to  be 
loyal  to  his  mission.  He  determined  to  collect  his  sermons 
and  to  put  them  into  writing,  so  that  others  might  read 
them,  even  when  he  could  not  preach.  So  he  called  a  young 
scribe,  named  Baruch,  and  had  him  write  down  the  things 
that  he  most  wanted  the  people  to  hear  and  remember.     He 


72  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

then  sent  Baruch  to  read  the  book  in  the  temple.  The  princes 
heard  of  it,  and  sent  for  Baruch  to  read  the  book  to  them. 
"  How  did  you  come  to  write  these  words?  "  they  asked. 
"  Jeremiah  the  prophet  dictated  them  to  me,"  was  Baruch's 
reply.  **  Go,  then,  and  hide  yourselves,  both  of  you,"  said  the 
princes.  Then  they  took  the  book  in  to  read  to  king  Jehoiakim. 
They  found  him  in  his  winter  palace,  sitting  near  the  fire. 
They  began  to  read,  but  before  they  had  gone  very  far,  the 
king  snatched  the  book,  cut  it  in  pieces,  and  threw  it  into 
the  flames.  Then  he  ordered  some  of  his  officers  to  arrest 
Baruch  and  Jeremiah,  but  they  kept  out  of  the  way.  Jere- 
miah was  so  far  from  being  intimidated  by  this  action,  that 
he  went  to  work  immediately  to  make  a  second  collection  of 
his  sermons.  This  time  he  added  a  stinging  rebuke  to  king 
Jehoiakim  for  destroying  the  first  book,  and  predicted  that 
he  would  meet  a  terrible  fate.  Nothing  apparently  could 
daunt  the  spirit  of  the  heroic  prophet. 

Jeremiah  Accused  of  Treason.  The  years  passed  by.  In 
the  meantime  Assyria  and  Egypt  had  been  defeated  by 
Nebuchadrezzar,  king  of  Babylonia  (or  Chaldea).  Judah 
had  at  first  submitted,  but  in  trying  to  throw  off  his  yoke 
had  failed  and  been  severely  punished.  Jeremiah  was  wise 
enough  to  see  that  Judah 's  only  hope  lay  in  quiet  submission 
to  the  Chaldean  king,  who  was  too  strong  to  be  successfully 
opposed,  and  this  he  persistently  advised,  but  other  counselors 
told  the  new  king,  Zedekiah,  who  was  a  weak  and  undecided 
character,  that  he  ought  to  throw  off  the  Chaldean  yoke, 
and  assured  him  that  the  Egyptians  would  help  him. 

It  was  easy  to  raise  the  cry  of  "  Freedom  and  Patriotism  " ; 
it  was  also  easy  to  accuse  Jeremiah  of  cowardice,  and  even 
of  treason,  because  he  opposed  the  popular  policies  and 
counseled  submission  to  Nebuchadrezzar.  Zedekiah  finally 
refused  to  pay  tribute  to  the  Chaldeans,  and  they  at  once 
besieged  Jerusalem.  The  Egyptians  came  to  their  help. 
The  siege  was  raised.  Then  the  people  were  more  sure  than 
ever  that  they  were  right,  and  that  Jeremiah  was  wrong,  but 
he  only  said,  "  Wait  and  see ;  the  Chaldean  army  will  soon 
dispose  of  the  Egyptians  and  return  to  Jerusalem."  This 
increased  the  ill-will  of  the  people,  and  one  day  when  Jere- 
miah went  out  from  the  city,  to  attend  to  some  business  at 
his  own  home,  his  enemies  got  up  a  story  that  he  was  going 


Lesson  Fifteen — Jeremiah  73 

to  desert  to  the  Chaldeans.  He  was  arrested  and  cast  into 
prison.  He  appealed  to  the  king,  and  Zedekiah  at  first  tried 
to  save  him,  but  later  weakened  under  the  arguments  of 
Jeremiah's  enemies.  They  took  the  prophet  and  let  him 
down  into  a  cistern,  at  the  bottom  of  which  he  sank  into  deep 
mire,  and  there  they  left  him  to  starve  or  suffocate.  It 
surely  looked  as  if  the  prophet's  work  was  done. 

Rescued  Again.  But  not  so.  Jeremiah  still  had  friends, 
one  of  whom,  Ebed-melech,  a  negro  upper  servant  in  the 
king's  palace,  went  to  the  king  and  protested  so  vigorously 
that  Zedekiah  again  changed  his  mind,  and  told  him  to  take 
thirty  men  to  help  him  rescue  the  prophet.  They  let  down 
ropes  with  some  old  rags  to  put  under  Jeremiah's  arms,  so 
that  the  cords  would  not  cut  as  they  pulled  him  out  of  the 
mire,  and  drew  him  up  to  safety. 

A  Faithful  Counselor.  Then  king  Zedekiah  sent  for  Jere- 
miah and  asked  his  advice.  **  What  shall  I  do  about  the 
Chaldeans?  "  he  asked.  **  If  I  tell  you  the  truth,  O  king, 
you  will  not  hearken,  and  will  probably  deliver  me  up  to  my 
enemies  again."  "  As  Jehovah  liveth,"  replied  the  king, 
"  I  will  not  put  you  to  death,  nor  will  I  give  you  up  to  those 
men  "  Then  Jeremiah  repeated  his  advice,  to  submit  to 
Nebuchadrezzar  as  the  only  safe  course.  King  Zedekiah 
was  afraid  to  follow  this  counsel,  the  popular  demand  was  so 
strong  the  other  way.  He  kept  his  word  to  Jeremiah,  how- 
ever, and  said  nothing  of  their  interview. 

The  Prophet  Justified.  It  was  not  long  before  the  wisdom 
of  Jeremiah's  words  became  apparent.  Nebuchadrezzar 
captured  Jerusalem,  king  Zedekiah  was  taken  prisoner,  his 
sons  were  killed  before  his  face,  his  own  eyes  were  put  out, 
and  he  was  carried  in  chains  into  Babylon.  This  was  the 
end  of  the  kingdom  of  Judah.  Nebuchadrezzar  appointed 
an  officer  to  look  after  the  country,  and  the  few  who  were 
left  there.  Jeremiah  remained  in  Judah  and  continued  his 
thankless  task  of  giving  wise  counsel  to  a  people  who  seemed 
to  have  utterly  lost  their  senses. 

An  Exile  in  Egypt.  Before  long,  an  irresponsible  band  of 
fanatics  assassinated  Gedaliah,  the  Jewish  governor  who 
had  been  appointed  by  the  Chaldean  conqueror.  Jeremiah 
again  counseled  quiet  and  order,  saying  that  Nebuchadrezzar 


74  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

would  not  punish  them  all  for  the  act  of  a  few.  But  again 
they  refused. to  listen,  and  fled  in  a  panic  to  Egypt,  forcing 
Jeremiah  to  go  with  them.  Here  the  heroic  old  prophet 
ended  his  work.  Tradition  says  that  he  was  stoned  to  death 
by  his  own  countrymen,  angry  no  doubt  at  some  plain  speak- 
ing for  their  own  good.  Thus  ended  a  career  of  one  who  was 
in  many  respects  the  grandest  of  Old  Testament  prophets,  a 
true  hero,  naturally  quiet  and  retiring,  yet  absolutely  coura- 
geous in  the  discharge  of  his  duty,  a  man  of  that  type  de- 
scribed by  the  poet  Lowell: 

"  Count  me  o'er  earth's  chosen  heroes — they  were  souls  that  stood 
alone, 
While  the  men  they  agonized  for  hurled  the  contumelious  stone; 
Stood  serene,  and  down  the  future  saw  the  golden  beam  incline 
To  the  side  of  perfect  justice,  mastered  by  their  faith  divine, 
By  one  man's  plain  truth  to  manhood  and  to  God's  supreme  de- 
sign." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  first  section  of  the  lesson  story,  "  Troublous 
Times  in  Judah,"  then  read  2  Ki.  ch.  21,  to  get  a  clear  idea 
of  the  situation  that  Jeremiah  had  to  face ;  then  finish  read- 
ing the  story. 

2.  Where  did  Jeremiah  come  from,  and  who  was  his  father? 
(Jer.  1:1.) 

3.  What  made  Jeremiah  shrink  at  first  from  taking  up  his 
life's  work,  and  what  overcame  his  hesitation?     (Jer.  1:6-8.) 

4.  What  message  did  he  have  for  the  people  of  Judah? 
(Read  one  of  his  sermons,  Jer.  ch.  7,  for  example.) 

5.  Read  Jer.  ch.  26,  and  see  how  the  people  received  this 
sermon. 

6.  Read  Jer.  ch.  36.  Why  did  Jeremiah  have  his  sermons 
written?  How  were  they  received  by  the  king?  What  do 
you  find  in  this  chapter  that  indicates  Jeremiah's  courage? 

7.  Why  did  Jeremiah  advise  king  Zedekiah  to  submit  to 
-Nebuchadrezzar?     (Jer.  ch.  37.) 

8.  What  accusation  did  the  people  bring  to  Jeremiah  on 
this  account? 

9.  What  trouble  did  this  bring  upon  Jeremiah?  How 
was  his  life  saved?     (Jer.  ch.  38.) 

10.  Where  did  Jeremiah  die? 


Lesson  Sixteen — John  Wyclij  75 

11.  Which  of  the  three  prophets  you  have  studied  about 
do  you  like  best:  EHjah,  Amos,  or  Jeremiah?     Why? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

12.  On  a  new  page  of  your  note-book,  write  the  name  of  the  prophet 
and  the  main  facts  about  his  home,  parentage,  scene  of  his  Hfe-work, 
and  the  reigns  in  which  he  labored,  as  given  in  Jer.  1: 1-3. 

13.  Paste  underneath  this  the  picture  selected  for  this  lesson. 
Sargent's  Jeremiah,  Jonah,  Isaiah,  Habakkuk  is  good  (Brown  No. 
845,  Perry  No.  1037,  Wilde  No.  507). 

14.  Write  a  thorough  account  of  any  incident  in  the  life  of  Jeremiah 
that  seems  to  you  best  to  illustrate  his  heroism. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Jer.  9 :  23,  24. 

Jeremiah's  sermon  in  the  temple,  given  in  ch.  7  of  his  book,  would 
make  a  fine  declamation,  either  entire  or  in  part;  also,  Jer.  24:1-7, 
or  the  oracle  against  Egypt,  46: 1-12. 


Lesson  16.     JOHN  WYCLIF.     "  The  Morning  Star  of  the 
Reformation." 

Born  about  1324;  died  Dec.  31,  1384. 

"  Jehovah  is  my  light  and  my  salvation; 

Whom  shall  I  fear? 
Jehovah  is  the  strength  of  my  life; 
Of  whom  shall  I  be  afraid?"     Ps.  27: 1. 
*'  I  believe  that  in  the  end  the  truth  will  conquer." — Wyclif. 

Stirring  Times  in  Old  England.  If  you  had  lived  in  England 
in  the  days  of  Edward  III  and  his  brave  son,  "  The  Black 
Prince,"  you  would  hardly  have  lacked  for  excitement. 
Very  likely  you  would  have  had  more  of  it  than  you  alto- 
gether cared  for.  England  was  at  war  with  France  for  many 
long  and  weary  years,  until  finally  victory  was  hers,  and  many 
are  the  tales  of  knightly  heroism  and  adventure  that  have 
come  down  to  us  from  this  period  of  history.  But  there 
are  many  dark  shadows  in  the  picture,  and  some  things  that 
are  unpleasant  to  look  upon.  There  was  really  but  one  church 
in  those  days,  and  that  was  the  great  Church  of  Rome  with 
the  pope  at  its  head.  The  pope  had  grown  more  and  more 
strong,  and  had  extended  his  spiritual  rule  over  more  and  more 
lands,  until  at  last  he  had  come  to  want  the  poHtical  power 


76 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


as  well,  and  practically  claimed  the  entire  rule.     He  did  not 

actually  wish  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom,  but  only 
to  have  the  king  pay  a  certain  amount  of  tribute  money  to 
him  in  recognition  of  his  overlordship.  Then  there  were  all 
sorts  of  other  ways  of  exacting  tribute:  Peter's  pence, 
tithes  and  taxes  and  '*  firstfruits  "  and  special  grants,  until 
matters  got  to  such  a  pass  that  the  pope  was  getting  more 
money  from  England  than  the  English  government  could 
collect  for  its  own  uses.  To  make  matters  worse,  the  priests 
and  monks  and  friars  lived  in  idleness,  gluttonous  luxury  and 
even  sinfulness,  shocking  all  pure-minded  and  genuinely 
devout  people  by  their  corrupt  lives,  while  plundering  these 
same  good  people  of  their  means.  And  if  people  protested 
or  refused  to  do  as  the  church  ordered,  then  various  ways 
of  punishing  them  were  found,  even  to  excommunication, 
by  which  one  was  cut  off  from  all  the  benefits  of  the  church, 
and  from  many  of  the  pleasures  of  human  society. 

A  Champion  of  Justice.  A  few  years  before  Edward  came 
to  the  throne  of  England,  there  was  born  somewhere  near 
Richmond  a  boy  whom  God  was  to  use  as  the  means  of  start- 
ing some  very  important  reforms  in  the  church.  We  know 
very  little  about  the  boyhood  or 
early  life  of  John  Wyclif.  He  was 
educated  for  the  ministry,  studied 
at  Oxford  University,  and  became 
one  of  its  most  famous  teachers. 
From  the  very  first  he  was  dis- 
tinguished for  his  love  of  the  Bible 
and  the  prominence  which  he  gave 
to  it  in  his  teaching.  He  also  felt 
very  keenly  the  insincerity  and 
frequent  immorality  of  the  clergy, 
and  spoke  strongly  against  such 
abuses.  But  the  thing  that  first 
brotight  him  into  general  public 
notice  was  his  advice  to  Parliament  when  pope  Urban  V 
demanded  the  payment  of  the  annual  tribute,  which  had 
been  imposed  years  before  in  the  time  of  king  John,  but 
which  had  not  been  paid  for  thirty-three  years.  Wyclif 
advised  Parliament  not  to  pay  it,  and  they  refused  the  pope's 
demand  absolutely.     This  was  a  bold  thing  for  Wyclif  to  do. 


John  WycHf. 


Lesson  Sixteen — John  Wyclif  77 

for  he  was  himself  a  priest,  and  therefore  in  a  special  way 
under  the  control  and  power  of  the  pope.  But  he  chose  to 
follow  his  own  conscience  rather  than  consider  his  chances 
of  advancement  in  the  church. 

Attacking  the  Friars.     England  was  at  this  time  overrun 

with  the  mendicant  friars,  representatives  of  the  orders 
founded  by  Dominic  and  Francis.  On  the  continent  of 
Europe  these  friars  were  behind  the  Inquisition,  with  all  its 
frightful  persecution  and  tortures,  and  their  power  was  very 
great.  They  were  supported  by  the  pope,  because  they  were 
useful  to  him.  Few  people  dared  incur  their  suspicion  even, 
much  less  oppose  them  openly.  Yet  they  had  degenerated 
into  a  social  plague,  going  about  and  begg^'ng  from  the  people, 
while  they  themselves  lived  in  luxury,  practising  all  sorts 
of  impositions  and  frauds,  pla3^ing  upon  the  superstitions 
and  ignorance  of  the  people,  and  thus  keeping  them  in  their 
power.  Wyclif  boldly  denounced  these  men,  and  exposed 
their  claims  and  pretensions,  and  this  brought  upon  him 
even  more  strongly  the  hatred  of  the  papacy. 

Accused  of  Heresy.  Before  long,  Wyclif  was  summoned 
to  appear  before  a  council  headed  by  the  lord  bishop  of  Lon- 
don, to  answer  for  his  teachings.  In  those  days  it  was  a 
serious  thing  to  be  accused  of  heresy,  or  teaching  not  approved 
by  the  church.  For  a  priest  it  might  mean  loss  of  his  position 
and  means  of  livelihood  in  the  church,  and  also  a  summons 
to  Rome ;  and  there,  once  in  the  power  of  the  pope,  it  might - 
mean  trial  before  the  Inquisition,  and  martyrdom.  But  all 
this  troubled  Wyclif  very  little.  Nor  did  he  have  to  go  alone, 
though  he  would  undoubtedly  have  done  so,  as  he  did  later. 
His  disinterested  services  to  the  government  had  won  powerful 
friends,  and  when  he  went  to  this  council,  he  was  accompanied 
by  the  duke  of  Lancaster  and  the  earl  marshal  of  England, 
two  of  the  most  influential  men  in  the  realm.  The  council 
never  got  to  any  conclusion,  for  a  dispute  at  once  broke  out 
between  those  champions  of  the  reformer  and  the  bishop 
of  London,  and  the  meeting  broke  up  in  a  riot.  Wyclif  went 
straight  on  with  his  teaching,  and  soon  his  enemies  sent  a 
list  of  charges  against  him  to  the  pope.  The  reply  was  a 
number  of  papal  decrees,  or  "  bulls,"  calling  upon  the  king, 
Oxford  University,  the  archbishop  and  all  the  clergy  to  arrest 
Wyclif,  stop  his  teaching  and  try  him  for  heresy.     Very  little 


78  .  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

attention  was  paid  to  these  demands.  Wyclif  was  too  strong 
in  the  favor  of  both  king  and  people  to  be  touched.  Finally 
another  council  was  held,  and  Wyclif  was  again  summoned. 
He  went  with  the  same  boldness  as  before,  made  answer 
to  the  charges,  showing  that  he  would  not  take  back  a  word 
of  his  teaching,  and  awaited  his  sentence.  But  a  vast  crowd 
of  the  people  had  followed  him  to  the  council,  and  threatened 
mischief  if  anything  were  done  to  harm  their  champion. 
Moreover,  a  messenger  came  from  the  queen  mother  herself, 
forbidding  the  council  to  pass  sentence  upon  Wyclif.  The 
bishops  were  afraid  to  do  anything,  and  let  Wyclif  go  with  a 
very  mild  reproof,  and  the  condemnation  of  his  teachings. 
This  troubled  him  not  at  all,  for  he  went  right  on  teaching. 

The  Tables  Turned  upon  the  Pope.  So  far,  Wyclif  had  been 
opposing  the  papacy  and  clergy  on  the  grounds  of  political 
rights  and  common  morality.  Now  he  began  to  attack  them 
on  the  grounds  that  they  were  heretics  themselves,  and  that 
they  were  teaching  things  that  Christ  Himself  never  taught. 
This  aroused  even  greater  anger,  because  if  their  teaching 
were  overturned  the  power  of  the  pope  and  priests  would  be 
gone.  Even  Wyclif's  friends  in  the  government  and  the 
university  began  to  turn  against  him.  The  duke  of  Lancaster 
told  him  he  had  better  leave  the  teaching  of  the  church  alone. 
Wyclif  replied  with  dignity  and  firmness  that  he  must  teach 
what  he  believed  to  be  true,  and  he  added,  **  I  believe  that 
in  the  end  the  truth  will  conquer." 

The  Greatest  Weapon  of  All.  Wyclif  was  now  on  ground 
where  the  selfish  interests  of  many  who  had  supported  him 
before  did  not  follow,  and  so  he  stood  practically  alone. 
Moreover,  he  added  another  to  the  list  of  charges  against 
him  by  translating  the  Bible  into  the  English  language,  so 
that  all  who  could  read  might  have  it  for  themselves.  Hither- 
to, it  had  been  obtainable  in  Latin  only,  and  none  but  the 
clergy  could  read  it.  The  church  had  kept  it  away  from  the 
people,  and  taught  them  only  what  it  pleased.  Now,  all 
might  read  and  find  out  God's  truth  for  themselves.  Bitter 
words  were  spoken  of  Wyclif  for  this  act,  but  it  endeared 
him  more  than  ever  to  the  common  people.  This  translation 
of  the  Bible  was,  after  all,  Wyclif's  greatest  work,  and  the 
one  for  which  he  is  most  widely  known  and  remembered. 


Lesson  Sixteen — John  \Vyclif  79 

Its  language  is  quaint  and  unfamiliar  to  us,  as  may  be  seen 
from  the  reading  of  the  Lord's  Prayer;  Mt.  6: 9-13,  in  the  Wyclif 
Bible. 

"JforsJotfje  tf)us(  pe  gfjulen  prepen,  0\xxt  fabir  tfjat  art  in 
|ieuene£(,  fjaltoib  be  tfti  name;  tiji  kpngbom  cumme  to;  be  tfji  luille 
bon  asi  in  \^mtn  anb  in  ertfje;  gif  to  b£{  tfjia;  bap  oure  breeb  ouer 
otfjer  gubgtaunce:  anb  forgeue  to  bs;  oure  bettis;,  as;  toe  forgeue 
to  oure  bettours;;  anb  leebe  bsi  nat  in  to  temtacioun,  but  belpuere 
b£f  from  euel." 

But  it  was  the  common  language  of  the  day,  and  dear  to  the 
people. 

Condemned  by  the  Roman  Church,  but  Undaunted.  WycHf 
was  again  summoned  before  an  ecclesiastical  council  to 
answer  for  his  attacks  upon  the  doctrines  of  the  church.  He 
knew  that  his  position  in  the  university  and  in  the  church 
was  at  stake,  and  perhaps  his  life  as  well.  But  when  the 
lord  bishop  called  upon  him  to  state  whether  or  no  he  had 
spoken  against  the  teachings  of  the  church,  and,  if  so,  to 
recant,  Wyclif  looked  steadily  at  him  and  the  others,  and 
replied  with  another  of  those  keen,  merciless  reproofs  directed 
against  the  clergy  who  were  teaching  false  doctrines  in  order 
to  maintain  their  own  power  over  the  people,  instead  of 
teaching  the  truth  and  living  lives  of  service.  And  then, 
having  delivered  this  mingled  rebuke  and  defiance,  he  left 
the  room  with  such  dignity  and  calmness  that  even  his  en- 
emies dared  not  stop  him.  He  went  home  to  the  parish  of 
Lutterworth,  of  which  he  was  pastor,  and  passed  the  remain- 
der of  his  days  in  peace,  serving  the  people  who  loved  him, 
and  continuing  his  work  of  translating  the  Bible  and  teaching 
the  truth.  He  was  finally  stricken  with  paralysis  and  died 
at  home.  Wychf  is  called  "  The  Morning  Star  of  the  Reforma- 
tion," because  he  was  one  of  those  who  first  began  to  teach 
the  truths  that  later  led  men  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  supersti- 
tion and  oppression  which  the  Roman  church  had  laid  upon 
them.  He  is  a  conspicuous  example  of  a  man  who  dared 
to  follow  the  truth  wherever  it  might  lead,  and  who  was  pro- 
tected by  his  own  boldness,  and  by  the  fact  that  he  was  able 
to  lead  even  the  statesmen  of  his  day. 


80  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  story,  and  then  answer  the  following  questions: 

2.  What  evils  were  common  in  England  when  Wyclif 
began  his  work? 

3.  What  first  brought  him  into  prominence  ? 

4.  What  means  were  taken  to  counteract  his  work,  and 
how  were  these  defeated? 

5.  What  was  his  last  and  greatest  work? 

6.  What  gave  him  courage  to  keep  on  with  his  work  in 
face  of  powerful  opposition? 

7.  Look  up  anything  more  that  you  can  find  out  about 
Wyclif,  either  in  books  written  about  him,  or  in  the  encyclo- 
pedias. An  interesting  short  story  of  his  life  is  written  by 
David  J.  Deane:  John  Wicliffe,  the  Morning  Star  of  the 
Reformation.  In  looking  him  up  it  is  important  to  notice 
that  different  writers  spell  his  name  differently:  Wiclif, 
Wicliffe,  Wyclif,  etc. 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

8.  Write  a  short  story  of  Wyclif,  emphasizing  any  incident  that 
most  appeals  to  you  in  his  life. 

9.  What  seems  to  you  the  greatest  thing  to  be  learned  from  his  life 
and  work? 

10.  In  what  way  does  Wyclif  resemble  any  of  the  Bible  characters 
you  have  just  studied? 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  words  of  Christ  in  Mt.  10:16-19.  These  were  words 
that  Wyclif  loved  to  read,  and  that  inspired  him. 


Lesson  Seventeen — Girolamo  Savonarola  81 

Lesson    17.     GIROLAMO    SAVONAROLA.     The   Patriot 

Priest  of  Italy. 

Born  Sept.  21.  1452;  died  May  23,  1498. 

"  By  the  blessing  of  the  upright  the  city  is  exalted; 
But  it  is  overthrown  by  the  mouth  of  the  wicked."   Prov.  11:11. 

Childhood  and  Youth  in  Sunny  Italy.  Forty  years  before 
Columbus  discovered  America,  Girolamo  Savonarola  was 
bom  in  the  city  of  Ferrara,  in  the  north  of  Italy.  His  grand- 
father was  a  distinguished  physician,  and  Girolamo  was 
educated  for  the  same  profession.  As  a  lad  he  was  quiet, 
retiring,  and  a  little  inclined  to  be  melancholy,  but  of  an 
affectionate  disposition.  There  was  much  in  the  life  about 
him  to  make  a  pure  and  sensitive  spirit  sad.  The  condition 
of  society  and  the  church,  bad  in  the  days  of  Wyclif,  had 
grown  worse,  until  the  priests  and  the  monks,  who  should 
have  been  leaders  in  all  good  ways,  were  as  bad  as  can  well 
be  imagined.  All  this  weighed  heavily  upon  the  mind  of 
young  Savonarola.  He  would  often  wander  in  the  open 
fields  and  by  the  river  banks,  weeping  for  very  shame  as  he 
thought  of 'the  sin  and  wickedness  all  about  him.  Meanwhile 
men  went  on  in  careless  indifference,  paying  little  heed  to  the 
noble  lad  who  cared  so  much  for  them  or  the  tears  of  honest 
indignation  that  he  shed  because  of  their  ways. 

Convent  Life.  Finally  Girolamo  could  no  longer  endure  the 
sight  and  sound  of  so  much  wickedness.  He  determined  to 
retire  into  a  convent,  which  was  the  best  way  that  men  knew 
at  that  time  to  escape  from  the  evil  in  the  world.  He  went 
to  the  convent  of  Bologna,  asking  that  he  be  allowed  to  do 
the  plainest  kind  of  raenial  work.  He  had  been  a  bright 
student,  but  was  so  sick  of  the  empty  kind  of  learning  of  which 
men  thought  most  in  those  days  that  he  was  anxious  to  get 
away  from  it  all.  Soon  he  was  appointed  to  be  the  teacher  of 
the  novices  in  the  convent.  This  was  not  w^hat  he  wished  to 
do,  but  obedience  was  one  of  the  first  rules  of  the  brother- 
hood, and  he  obeyed  cheerfully,  and  did  the  work  to  the  best 
of  his  ability.  He  soon  learned  that  he  had  not  left  all  the 
folly  and  wickedness  of  the  world  behind  him.  Even  in  the 
convent  he  found  selfishness  and  laziness  and  immorality. 
His  own  pure  life  was  a  rebuke  to  those  about  him,  and  his 
noble  spirit  was  soon  stirred  to  begin  the  work  of  reform  that 
led  to  his  death. 


82  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

The  Brother  of  St.  Mark's.  Savonarola  was  later  trans- 
ferred to  the  city  of  Florence,  where  was  the  convent  of  St. 
Mark,  or  San  Marco,  as  it  is  called  in  their  language.  He 
was  called  upon  to  preach,  but  at  first  made  a  failure  of  it.  He 
had  none  of  the  tricks  of  eloquence  of  which  the  speakers  of 
that  day  made  so  much,  and  few  people  would  listen  to  him. 
Florence  was  at  this  time  completely  under  the  rule  of 

the  famous  Lorenzo  de'  Medici, 
called  "  The  Magnificent,"  who  had 
robbed  the  city  of  its  ancient 
liberties  while  keeping  up  a  pre- 
tence of  them.  In  return  for 
liberty,  and  to  keep  the  people 
contented,  he  indulged  them  in 
all  sorts  of  games,  carnivals,  and 
the  most  foolish  and  degrading 
excesses.  The  carnivals  were 
celebrated  with  songs  and  dances 
that  we  would  not  allow  for  an 
instant  upon  the  public  streets. 
Savonarola  was  indignant  at  what 

Gxrolamo  Savonarola.  ^^   ^^^^   ^^^   ^^^    himself  with   firm 

determination  against  these  abuses  and  the  man  who  was  re- 
sponsible for  them. 

Savonarola  and  Lorenzo  de'  Medici.  There  came  a  time 
when  Savonarola  gained  a  sudden  power  that  made  his 
preaching  a  new  thing,  for  God  gave  him  a  message,  just  as 
Ht  gave  messages  to  the  Old  Testament  prophets.  Then 
he  began  to  speak  to  the  people  of  their  sins,  and  to  announce 
the  judgment  that  would  surely  come  upon  them,  until  they 
trembled  for  fear.  They  came  in  ever  greater  crowds  to 
hear  him.  Extra  wooden  galleries  had  to  be  built  in  the  great 
cathedral  to  accommodate  the  throngs.  People  got  up  in  the 
middle  of  the  night  and  went  to  the  cathedral,  so  as  to  get 
good  places  to  hear.  Lorenzo  de'  Medici  was  soon  forced 
to  take  notice  of  this  man  who  alone  in  all  that  city  dared  to 
face  him  and  to  rebuke  him  publicly  for  his  wrongdoing. 
But,  except  for  these  rebukes,  he  could  not  make  the  preacher 
take  notice  of  him.  Savonarola  was  elected  prior  of  the  con- 
vent, and  it  was  the  custom  that  each  newly  elected  prior 
should  go  to  Lorenzo  and  do  homage  to  him  as  the  protector 


Lesson  Seventeen — Girolmno  Savonarola  83 

of  the  city  and  the  convent.  Savonarola  did  not  go.  The 
timid  brothers  of  the  convent  came  and  suggested  that  he 
ought  to  do  so.  "  Did  Lorenzo  de'  Medici  make  me  prior; 
or  did  God.'"'  asked  Savonarola.  "  God,  of  course,"  replied 
the  brothers.  "  Then  I  will  thank  my  Lord,  not  mortal 
man,"  was  the  reply.  In  religious  affairs,  Savonarola  would 
recognize  as  his  superior  no  man  whom  he  saw  to  be  the  evil 
genius  of  his  beloved  city.  He  went  on  preaching,  sparing  no 
one,  prince  or  priest,  in  his  scathing  rebukes.  Yet  in  it  all 
he  spoke  with  gentleness,  even  tenderness.  We  can  hardly 
imagine  now  what  courage  it  took  to  say  such  things  in  those 
days,  when  the  rulers  in  both  church  and  state  were  in  the 
habit  of  putting  to  death  most  cruelly  those  Avho  dared  oppose 
their  will.  It  took  more  than  a  little  heroism  to  face  the 
terrors  of  the  Inquisition.  Savonarola  knew  perfectly  well 
what  risks  he  was  incurring.  He  expected  martyrdom,  and 
often  spoke  of  it. 

Piero  de'  Medici.  Lorenzo  died,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
son  Piero,  haughty,  imperious,  as  dissipated  and  wicked  as  his 
father,  but  not  nearly  so  wise  or  politic.  He  hated  Savonarola 
bitterly  from  the  first,  and  sought  to  get  rid  of  him  in  some 
way,  but  he  could  not  frighten  the  prior  of  San  Marco.  Nor 
did  he  dare  go  too  far  in  attacking  him,  for  fear  of  the  people, 
for  by  this  time  Savonarola  had  gained  wonderful  power  over 
all  the  people  of  Florence.  They  almost  worshiped  the 
man  who  so  bravely  told  them  the  truth  and  was  so  gentle 
and  loving  in  his  good  deeds  among  them.  So  his  enemies 
had  to  proceed  against  him  by  cowardly  and  treacherous 
means,  biding  their  time  and  plotting  ceaselessly  how  they 
might  destroy  him. 

Invasion  of  the  French.  In  1494  Charles  VIII  of  France 
invaded  Italy.  Fear  prevailed  on  every  hand,  but  Savona- 
rola was  calm  and  undisturbed.  Like  the  prophets  of  Israel, 
he  saw  in  this  the  judgment  of  God  on  the  land  and  that  it 
might  be  for  the  good  of  the  people.  One  day  the  cathedral 
was  crowded  with  people  who  had  been  waiting  a  long  time 
for  the  preacher  to  appear.  At  last  Savonarola  entered  the 
pulpit.  There  was  absolute  silence  in  that  great  throng. 
With  solemn  utterance  he  gave  out  his  text:  "  And  behold, 
I,  even  I,  do  bring  a  flood  of  waters  upon  the  earth."  Every 
one  thought  of  the  French  and  shuddered  as  the  preacher 


84  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

went  on  with  his  sermon,  telling  them  that  God  Himself 
was  directing  the  French  armies.  Piero  de'  Medici  now 
played  the  coward.  He  went  out  with  an  embassy  to  meet 
the  French  king,  and  gave  over  to  him  all  the  defenses  of  the 
city  without  making  any  attempt  to  secure  terms  for  it. 
The  city  was  in  a  tumult  of  rage  and  despair.  It  needed  very 
little  to  start  a  wild  riot  of  bloodshed  and  vengeance  on  the 
family  that  had  betrayed  them.  Then  they  turned  to  the 
one  man  whom  they  had  learned  to  trust,  and  rushed  to  the 
cathedral.     There  they  heard  words  like  these: 

"  Now  the  sword  has  come,  the  prophecies  have  been  ful- 
filled, the  scourges  have  begun.  It  is  the  Lord  who  guides 
these  armies,  O  Florence  !  The  time  of  songs  and  dances  has 
passed  away;  it  is  now  time  to  bewail  thy  sins  with  rivers  of 
tears.  Thy  sins,  O  Florence  !  thy  sins,  O  Rome  !  thy  sins,  O 
Italy  !  are  the  cause  of  these  stripes.  ...  I  turn  to  thee,  my 
Lord,  who  didst  die  for  love  of  us  and  for  our  sins.  Pardon, 
O  Lord,  pardon  the  people  of  Florence,  who  now  desire  to  be 
thine." 

A  Leader  in  a  Crisis.  Under  the  spell  of  Savonarola's 
words,  the  city  turned  to  him  as  a  child  to  its  father.  He 
held  them  steady,  he  kept  order,  he  went  out  to  meet  the 
French  king  for  them  and  spoke  to  him  as  fearlessly  as  he  had 
to  Lorenzo  de'  Medici,  he  gained  for  the  city  consideration 
of  which  the  other  ambassadors  had  despaired,  he  became 
the  leading  adviser  in  the  formation  of  a  new  government 
which,  for  a  time,  restored  the  liberties  of  the  city  after  the 
treacherous  Medici  were  banished.  A  more  wonderful 
exhibition  of  power  on  the  part  of  one  true,  unselfish,  wise 
man  over  an  entire  city  has  probably  never  been  seen.  Well 
for  Florence  had  she  remained  loyal  to  her  prophet  and  con- 
tinued to  listen  to  his  counsel.  But  dark  days  were  coming — 
dark  for  Savonarola,  darker  yet  for  fair  Florence. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story  and,  in  addition,  whatever  you 
can  find  out  about  Florence,  Lorenzo  de'  Medici,  or  Savona- 
rola, in  encyclopedias  or  other  books.  George  Eliot's  Romola 
brings  in  much  of  the  story  of  Savonarola.  Mrs.  Oliphant's 
Makers  of  Florence,  and  Lord's  Beacon  Lights  of  History, 
vol.  iii,  are  both  very  interesting.  Lives  of  Savonarola  may 
be  procured  in  any  public  library. 


Lesson  Eighteen — Gtrolamo  Savonarola  85 

2.  Why  did  Savonarola  become  a  monk? 

3.  In  what  city  did  he  take  up  his  life-work? 

4.  Who  was  ruler  here,  and  what  kind  of  man  was  he? 

5.  How  did  Savonarola  conduct  himself  toward  this  ruler  ■ 

6.  Read  1  Ki.  21:20-22;  Amos  2:6;  7:14,  15;  Jer.  7:1-7. 
Lu.  13:31-35.  In  what  ways  are  the  experiences  of  Savona- 
rola like  the  incidents  narrated  in  these  references  ? 

NOTE-BOOK   WORK. 

7.  Write  Savonarola's  name  and  the  places  and  dates  of  hi?  birth 
and  death  at  the  head  of  a  new  page.  Select  a  picture,  perhaps 
the  portrait  of  Savonarola  (Brown  No.  614,  Perry  No.  2577),  and  paste 
underneath. 

8.  Write  a  story  of  Savonarola's  early  life,  bringing  in  the  following 
points : 

His  boyish  characteristics. 

His  feelings  about  the  life  of  the  time.  _ 

The  first  great  decision  of  his  Hfe,  and  its  cause. 

The  city  of  which  he  became  a  citizen. 

Its  ruler,  and  Savonarola's  relations  to  him. 

The  great  crisis  through  which  Savonarola  helped  the  city. 

MEMORY   WORK. 

There  is  a  chapter  in  the  New  Testament  that  might  well  be  called 
The  Honor  Roll  of  the  Heroes  of  Faith.  It  is  well  worth  knowing 
by  heart.     Learn  Hebrews  11 : 1-10  in  connection  with  this  lesson. 


Lesson   18.     GIROLAMO   SAVONAROLA.     A  Prophet  who 
Met  a  Prophet's  Fate. 

"  The  memory  of  the  righteous  is  blessed; 
But  the  name  of  the  wicked  shall  rot."     Prov.  10 : 7. 

A  Reform  of  Manners.  Savonarola  was  now,  for  a  time, 
the  practical  ruler  of  Florence.  People  turned  to  him  for 
advice  on  almost  every  detail  of  the  new  government.  The 
most  important  of  the  laws  were  first  suggested  by  him. 
He  was  the  brain  and  conscience  of  the  city.  It  would  have 
been  easy  for  him  to  turn  this  power  to  his  own  inter- 
ests, but  he  thought  only  of  the  betterment  of  the  people. 
He  saw  clearly  that  true  liberty  was  essential  to  the  best 
interests  of  Florence,  and  he  helped  to  safeguard  that.  He 
had  introduced  many  reforms  into  the  life  of  the  convent 


86  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

over  which  he  was  head,  and  he  now  introduced  many  more 
into  the  Hfe  of  the  city.  Among  the  other  v/ild  and  reckless 
scenes  of  the  carnival  time,  it  had  been  the  custom  for  the 
boys  to  run  riot,  stopping  people  on  the  streets  and  almost 
forcing  money  from  them,  throwing  stones,  fighting  one  with 
another  around  their  great  bonfire  in  the  square,  and  doing 
much  damage.  Savonarola  organized  these  boys  into  bands, 
each  with  its  captain.  He  sent  them  about  the  city  to  collect, 
not  money,  but  the  various  costumes  and  things  that  had 
been  used  at  the  carnival  time.  These  they  brought  into 
the  public  square,  and  there  made  of  them  such  a  bonfire 
as  they  had  not  had  even  in  their  wildest  days.  The  carnival 
for  a  time  was  reformed. 

His  Enemies  Stirred  Up.  These  reforms  made  many 
enemies,  as  well  as  friends,  for  Savonarola.  There  were 
many  who  disliked  having  their  selfish  pleasures  interfered 
with.  There  were  undoubtedly  some,  who  had  made  money 
out  of  the  excesses  of  the  people,  who  did  not  like  having 
their  gains  cut  down.  Piero  de'  Medici  was  constantly 
plotting  how  he  might  regain  control, of  the  city,  and  he  knew 
that  he  never  could  do  this  so  long  as  Savonarola  had  so 
much  power.  The  pope  was  becoming  increasingly  angered 
at  him  for  his  unsparing  condemnation  of  the  clergy  for  their 
evil  ways.  All  these  enemies  were  constantly  plotting  and 
conspiring  together  against  him.  Savonarola  saw  only  too 
clearly  what  the  end  must  be.  Sooner  or  later  his  enemies 
would  get  him  in  their  power,  and  he  knew,  that  he  need 
expect  no  mercy.  But  Savonarola  had  no  more  idea  of 
shrinking  from  his  duty,  on  this  account,  than  Jeremiah  had 
when  threatened  by  the  king  and  princes,  or  than  Jesus  had 
when  warned  that  Herod  would  kill  Him  if  He  did  not  stop 
His  teaching.  He  went  straight  on  with  his  preaching. 
One  day,  after  hearing  of  a  particularly  severe  criticism  of 
himself,  the  pope  asked  one  of  the  bishops  of  the  church  to 
make  pubHc  reply  to  Savonarola.  *'  But,"  said  the  bishop, 
**  how  can  I  answer  him?  What  he  says  is  true,  is  it  not?  I 
advise  you  to  buy  him  off.  Offer  to  make  him  a  cardinal 
if  he  will  stop  preaching  against  the  church."  This  advice 
pleased  the  pope,  and  he  sent  a  special  messenger  to  see 
Savonarola.  The  prophet  met  the  man  kindly,  but  when 
he  heard  his  errand  he  told  him  to  come  to  the  sermon  the 
nex-^  day,  and  he  should  have  his  reply.     He  got  it,  in  9 


Lesson  Eighteen — Girolamo  Savonarola  87 

public  and  scathing  rebuke  of  the  pope  for  attempting  to 
buy  him  off,  and  an  indignant  refusal  of  the  offer  to  silence 
him  by  bribery. 

The  Ordeal  by  Fire.  Finally,  his  enemies  managed  to  get 
Savonarola  into  an  unfortunate  predicament  which  greatly 
injured  his  influence  with  the  people.  He  had  finally  been 
excommunicated  by  the  pope,  but  went  on  .with  his  work, 
disregarding  the  papal  command.  A  Franciscan  monk 
made  a  public  attack  upon  the  teachings  of  Savonarola,  and 
challenged  him  to  the  ordeal  by  fire,  a  foolish  custom  some- 
times resorted  to  in  earlier  times,  to  prove  which  of  two 
parties  in  a  dispute  was  right.  Each  champion  was  to  pass 
through  a  great  bonfire,  and  if  one  came  out  unhurt  it  was 
to  be  a  sign  that  he  was  right.  Savonarola  was  at  first 
opposed  to  such  a  test,  but  Fra  Domenico,  one  of  his  most 
devoted  supporters,  took  up  the  challenge,  firm  in  his  faith 
that  God  would  justify  His  prophet.  The  Franciscan  had 
no  idea  of  ever  going  near  the  fire  himself,  but  he  hoped  that 
he  might  get  Savonarola  into  it,  and  thus  take  his  life.  The 
rulers  who  were  in  power  just  at  this  time  were  hostile  to 
Savonarola,  and  they  helped  on  this  plan  to  discredit  or  kill 
their  enemy.  Though  faithful  Domenico  insisted  upon  him- 
self undergoing  the  ordeal,  saying  that  God  had  a  greater 
work  for  Savonarola,  the  rulers  hoped  in  some  way  to  injure 
the  brave  preacher. 

A  day  was  set  for  the  ordeal.  The  great  square  was  crowded 
with  people  eager  to  see  this  terrible  sight.  In  the  center  was 
a  huge  pile  of  inflammable  stuff  with  a  passage  through  the 
middle  wide  enough  for  the  two  champions.  Savonarola 
and  the  brothers  of  San  Marco  appeared  with  Fra  Domenico, 
who  was  to  make  the  trial  for  their  side.  The  soldiers  of 
Florence  were  there,  and  also  armed  men  from  among  the 
friends  of  Savonarola,  determined  to  protect  him  against 
any  sudden  attack  that  might  be  made.  But  the  monk 
w'ho  had  issued  the  challenge  and  the  one  who  was  to  go 
through  the  ordeal  were  not  on  hand.  The  Franciscans 
raised  all  kinds  of  objections,  to  delay  matters  and  excuse 
them  for  not  appearir^g.  First  they  said  that  Domenico's 
garments  had  been  enchanted  against  the  fire.  He  promptly 
changed  them  for  others.  Then  they  objected  to  his  carrying 
a  crucifix  into  the  fire,  and  he  laid  this  aside  and  took  only 
the   sacrament.     Meanwhile  they  were  circulating  all   sorts 


88 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


of  rumors  and  trying  to  lay  the  blame  of  the  delay  upon 
Savonarola.  The  people,  many  of  them  hostile,  most  of 
them  only  conscious  that  they  were  being  cheated  out  of  the 
spectacle  they  had  come  to  see,  grew  more  and  more  impatient 
and  unruly,  and  finally,  when  the  rulers  sent  word  that  the 
ordeal  would  not  take  place,  it  was  all  that  the  soldiers 
friendly  to  Savonarola  could  do  to  get  him  back  in  safety 
to  the  convent.  It  was  all  exceedingly  unjust,  but  a  mob 
is  always  unjust,  and  the  enemies  of  Savonarola  had  counted 
upon  this.  They  had  succeeded  in  turning  the  mob  against 
him  and  breaking  his  influence  over  the  people,  and  the  rest 
was  easy. 

The  Final  Tragedy.  The  next  day  was  Palm  Sunday, 
the  anniversary  of  that  day  when  Jesus  entered  Jerusalem 
in  triumph,  only  to  go  out  of  it  to  the  cross.  A  brother  of 
San  Marco  was  to  preach  that  evening  in  the  cathedral. 
The  enemies  of  Savonarola  attacked  the  cathedral  to  prevent 
the  sermon  from  being  given.  There  was  a  wild  scene  of 
bloodshed  and  riot.  Savonarola  at  first  forbade  resistance, 
but  he  could  not  prevent  his  followers  from  defending  them- 
selves and  him.     The  rulers  sent  an  order  for  Savonarola, 

Domenico  and  another  monk  to 
give  themselves  up  and  come 
to  the  palace,  promising  to  set 
them  at  liberty  as  soon  as  the 
riot  was  over.  Savonarola  and 
Domenico  obeyed.  They  were 
bound  and  hurried  through  the 
crowd  amid  every  imaginable  kind 
of  insult  and  violence.  Stones  were 
thrown  at  them,  they  were  pounded, 
kicked,  reviled  and  all  this  by 
the  very  populace  that  only  a  few 
years  before  had  hailed  Savona- 
rola as  its  prophet  and  deliverer. 
Brought  before  the  rulers,  they 
were  briefly  questioned,  and  then, 
^^^^■^^oVtcchxo,  instead  of  being  set  at  liberty,  as 

The  execution  of  Savonarola  took  place  .        -      °,  .     •     . 

in  front  of  the  fountain  at  the  left  in  ^^aS  OrOmiSed,  they  WCrC  pUt  mtO 
the  picture.  .      ^         „.  .1   •    j  ^        o•^ 

prison.  The  third  monk,  bilves- 
tro,  was  in  hiding,  but  was  betrayed  and  arrested  also.  Then 
followed  the  examination  before  a  tribunal  made  up  of  the 


Lesson  Eighteen — Girolamo  Savonarola  89 

bitterest  enemies  of  Savonarola.  They  tried  to  make  him 
confess  that  he  had  deceived  the  people  and  claimed  to  teach 
in  God's  name  what  was  only  for  his  own  glory.  To  accom- 
pUsh  this,  they  used  the  method  common  in  those  days,  that 
of  torture.  Savonarola  was  subjected  to  the  most  fiendish  tor- 
ment for  eleven  days,  until  he  was  often  delirious  from  agony. 
Even  then  they  could  get  nothing  that  would  convict  him,  so 
they  published  false  accounts  of  his  replies.  Then  came  com- 
missioners from  the  pope,  empowered  also  to  examine  the 
accused  man.  They  arrived  boasting  that  they  had  the  sen- 
tence all  ready.  They  might  better  have  passed  it  at  once, 
but  they  were  not  so  merciful.  Again  the  brave,  gentle 
Savonarola  was  dragged  from  his  cell  and  made  to  endure 
two  or  three  days  more  of  torture  before  the  sentence  of  death 
was  passed  upon  him.  His  companions  were  examined 
separately,  and  in  addition  to  the  torture  they  were  told  that 
their  master  had  confessed  himself  to  have  been  entirely  in 
the  wrong. 

Their  last  night  on  earth  was  passed  in  the  hall  which  had 
been  built  for  the  great  council  which  Savonarola  had  helped 
to  form.  On  its  walls  were  the  lines  that  he  himself  had 
written : 

"  If  this  great  council  and  sure  go\-ernment, 
O  people,  of  thy  city  never  cease 
To  be  by  thee  preserved  as  by  God  sent. 

In  freedom  shalt  thou  ever  stand,  and  peace.** 

The  next  morning  the  three  monks  were  led  forth  into  the 
great  square,  and  there,  amid  the  jeers  and  hoots  of  the  people 
for  whom  Savonarola  had  labored  so  unselfishly,  they  were 
hung  and  then  burned. 

It  might  seem  as  if  Savonarola  had  failed  utterly,  and  that 
his  enemies  had  triumphed.  But  not  so.  Florence  found 
out  too  late  her  error  in  departing  from  the  wise  counsel  of 
the  man  she  had  sacrificed.  The  memory  of  the  miserable 
pope  who  triumphed  for  a  time  is  now  scorned  and  despised 
by  the  whole  civilized  world,  while  Savonarola  left  a  name 
that  will  always  stand  among  the  Heroes  of  the  Faith.  His 
intense  moral  earnestness  and  his  reliance  on  the  Bible  as  a 
safe  and  sufficient  guide  made  him  a  forerunner  of  the  reforma- 
tion which  under  Luther  broke  the  spiritual  despotism  of 
the  papacy. 


90  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Review  the  previous  lesson  story,  and  read  this  one 
through.  Read  further  the  books  about  Savonarola  that 
you  have  at  hand,  or  can  find  in  the  library,  and  learn  more 
of  the  details  of  his  later  life. 

2.  In  what  ways  did  Savonarola  show  his  unselfishness? 
his  purity  of  heart  and  life  ?  his  courage  ?  his  devotion  to  his 
duty? 

3.  In  what  respects  was  his  death  like  that  of  Jesus?  (See 
Mt.  26:3,  4,  47-67;  27:27-31,  39-44.) 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  greatest  things  that  Savonarola 
did  for  Florence  ?     for  the  church  ?     for  all  the  world  ? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

5.  Select  another  picture,  such  as  a  view  of  Florence,  the  cathedral 
(Perry  No.  1664,  Brown  No.  972),  or  the  square  (Piazza  della  Signoria) 
where  Savonarola  was  executed. 

6.  Finish  your  story,  bringing  in  such  incidents  as  most  interest  you 
in  this  lesson. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Hebrews  11 :  11-16. 


Lesson  19.     MARTIN  LUTHER.     The  Hero  of  the  Protestant 

Reformation. 

Born  Nov.  10,  1483;  died  Feb.  18,  1546. 

"  There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ 
Jesus."      Rom.  8:1. 

The  Miner's  Boy  at  School  and  College.  In  the  same  year  in 
which  Girolamo  Savonarola  was  put  to  death  in  the  city  of 
Florence,  a  fifteen-year-old  lad  came  into  the  streets  of 
Eisenach  in  northern  Germany,  and  went  from  house  to 
house  singing  to  earn  his  bread.  He  had  a  fine  voice  and  a 
pleasant  face,  and  soon  attracted  the  notice  of  Frau  Ursula 
Cotta,  the  wife  of  one  of  the  leading  merchants  of  Eisenach. 
She  invited  him  in,  gave  him  something  to  eat,  and,  finding 
that  he  was  trying  to  earn  his  living  while  getting  an  educa- 
tion, she  gave  him  a  home  with  her  husband  and  herself. 
Nothing  else  that  Ursula  Cotta  ever  did  brought  her  half  so 
much  fame  as  did  her  kind  hospitaHty  to  this  poor  lad.  For 
the  boy  was  destined  to  become  famous.  He  was  to  carry 
much  farther  than  Savonarola  the  work  of  reforming  the 


Lesson  Nineteen — Martin  Luther  91 

church,  and  was  also  to  become  the  spokesman  of  the  people  of 
Germany.  I  wonder  if  he  ever  dreamed,  as  he  looked  up  from 
the  house  of  Frau  Cotta  to  the  great  castle  of  the  Wartburg 
on  the  mountain  far  above  the  town,  that  for  centuries  after 
his  death  that  castle  would  be  famous  chiefly  because  of  the 
time  that  he  should  spend  there.  Probably  not,  for  as  yet 
Martin  Luther  was  but  a  plain  lad,  the  son  of  a  poor  miner, 
Hans  Luther  of  Mansfeld.  His  mother  Gretha  carried  the 
family  supply  of  wood  on  her  back  that  she  might  warm  and 
care  for  her  children.  Martin  always  loved  and  honored  his 
parents,  although  they  were  stern  in  their  discipline,  too  stern 
at  times.  His  mother  once  whipped  him  until  the  blood  came 
on  account  of  the  theft  of  a  nut.  His  schoolmasters,  too,  were 
severe,  one  of  them  flogging  Martin  fifteen  times  in  a  single 
day. 

But  Martin  got  along  well  in  his  studies,  although  as  a  boy 
he  learned  a  lot  of  foolishness  from  the  ignorant  and  super- 
stitious miners,  who  believed  that  the  woods  and  streams  of 
the  mountains  were  peopled  with  sprites,  and  witches,  and 
spirits  both  good  and  bad.  Martin  got  many  of  these  ideas 
into  his  head,  and  it  took  him  a  long  while  to  learn  better. 
His  father  wished  him  to  become  a  law^^er,  and  young  Luther 
studied  for  this  profession  at  the  University  of  Erfurt,  then 
the  leading  university  of  Germany.  He  was  devout  and  care- 
ful about  religious  matters,  and  always  began  the  work  of 
each  day  with  prayer.  He  used  to  say,  "  To  pray  well  is  to 
study  well." 

Luther  Becomes  a  Monk.  Because  of  his  deeply  religious 
nature,  Luther  did  not  find  entire  satisfaction  in  his  legal 
studies.  When  he  was  about  twenty-two  years  old  two 
events  occurred  which,  with  other  reasons,  determined  him  to 
become  a  monk.  An  intimate  friend  was  suddenly  killed, 
and  a  Httle  later  Luther  himself  narrowly  escaped  death  in 
a  tremendous  thunderstorm.  In  his  fear,  he  called  upon  his 
saint  and  vowed  to  become  a  monk  if  his  life  was  spared. 
Having  made  the  vow,  he  stuck  to  it  and  entered  the  monas- 
tery two  weeks  later.  His  father  was  very  angry,  and  for 
many  years  could  not  bring  himself  to  forgive  his  son  for  this 
action.  The  day  came,  however,  when  he  was  proud  of 
Martin  for  the  great  work  he  was  doing. 

Luther's  Cloister  Life.     You  know  something  already  about 


92 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


the  conditions  that  prevailed  within  the  monasteries  in  those 
days,  although  Luther  did  not  find  them  quite  as  bad  as 
Savonarola  had  in  Italy.  The  church  in  Germany,  though 
far  from  perfect,  was  much  better  than  that  in  Italy.  There 
were  many  who,  like  Luther,  had  taken  this  way  of  devoting 
themselves  to  a  really  religious  life.  Luther  was  faithful  in 
his  duties,  working  hard,  and  inflicting  all  kinds  of  penances 
and  fasts  upon  himself  in  order  that  he  might  quiet  his  con- 
science and  find  peace  of  mind.  He  constantly  troubled 
himself  about  his  sins,  and  believed  that  evil  thoughts  were 
sinful  even  when  he  did  not  yield  to  them.  He  learned  better 
in  later  life,  and  used  to  say  that  evil  thoughts  were  like  the 
birds:  "  You  cannot  prevent  the  birds  from  flying  over  your 
head,  but  you  can  keep  them  from  making  nests  in  your 
hair."  His  hard  life  told  severely  upon  his  strength,  and  at 
one  time  it  seemed  as  if  he  would  not  live  long.  After  a  time, 
however,  it  dawned  upon  him  that  peace  of  mind  was  not  to 
be  gained  through  penances,  but  through  following  Jesus  in 
faith  and  trust,  loving  God  and  serving  one's  fellow  men. 
This  was  the  great  discovery  of  his  life,  and  taught  him  the 
real  meaning  of  the  words  of  Paul,  quoted  at  the  head  of  this 
story. 

Luther's  Visit  to  Rome.     Another  important  experience  in 

Luther's  life  was  a  visit  to  Rome 
on  some  business  of  the  monas- 
teries. He  went  there  on  foot 
with  high  anticipations  of  the  rich 
blessing  that  he  should  gain,  for  he 
thought  of  Rome  much  as  the  old 
Jews  thought  of  Jerusalem.  When 
he  saw  the  city,  he  fell  on  his  knees 
and  cried  out,  "  Hail,  Holy  Rome  !" 
Like  many  another  pilgrim,  he 
started  to  make  the  long  ascent  of 
"  Pilate's  staircase  "  on  his  knees, 
repeating  a  prayer  at  every  step, 
when  suddenly  he  seemed  to  hear  a 
voice  saying,  "  The  just  shall  live 
by  faith."  He  immediately  sprang 
to  his  feet  and  left,  ashamed  of  his  folly.  He  soon  learned 
that  Rome  was  anything  but  holy.  He  was  shocked  at  the 
irreverence  of  the  priests,  who  rattled  off  their  prayers  in  most 


Martin  Luther. 


Lesson  Nineteen — Martin  Luther  93 

unholy  fashion.  They  laughed  at  him  for  his  earnestness  and 
mocked  at  the  most  sacred  things.  Luther  went  back  to 
Germany  a  sadder  and  wiser  man,  and  understood  better  for 
the  rest  of  his  life  how  much  the  church  needed  reform. 

Tetzel,  the  Indulgence  Peddler.  Soon  came  another  expe- 
rience that  brought  Luther  into  open  conflict  with  the  pope 
and  the  church.  The  pope  at  this  time  was  Leo  X,  of  the 
house  of  Medici,  the  old  enemies  of  Savonarola.  He  was  a 
cultured,  luxurious,  selfish  man  who  cared  not  a  straw  for 
real  religion.  He  wanted  money  for  his  own  use,  and  to 
finish  the  great  cathedral  of  St.  Peter's.  He  decided  to  get  it 
by  selling  "  indulgences,"  through  which — so  the  people 
believed — the  purchasers  might  escape  the  penalties  of  their 
sins.  The  church  taught  that  while  forgiveness  of  sins  was 
granted  to  the  penitent,  yet  this  forgiveness  did  not  free  the 
sinner  from  certain  penalties,  which  must  be  suffered  either 
in  this  life  or  the  next.  But  through  indulgences  the  church 
claimed  to  have  the  power  to  transfer  to  men  some  of  the 
superfluous  merits  of  Christ  and  the  saints,  and  so  deliver  the 
sinner  from  these  penalties.  These  indulgences  were  granted 
to  those  who  made  gifts  to  the  church,  or  did  some  service 
which  rendered  them  worthy  of  this  consideration.  It  should 
be  remembered,  however,  that  at  first  indulgences  were  re- 
stricted to  men  truly  penitent.  But  this  restriction  was 
utterly  ignored  by  the  men  who  now  began  to  peddle  in- 
dulgences like  any  other  goods  that  might  be  offered  for  sale. 
In  1517  Pope  Leo  sent  a  monk  named  Tetzel  into  Germany 
for  this  purpose.  He  was  a  man  of  sinful  life  and  coarse 
speech.  *He  came  into  one  town  after  another  with  much 
display,  carrying  a  great  red  cross  with  a  wreath  of  thorns, 
and  a  money  box.  The  cross  was  set  up  in  the  church,  and 
then  Tetzel  would  call  upon  the  people  to  buy  his  indulgences, 
just  as  an  auctioneer  would  cry  his  wares.  He  told  them 
that  by  buying  an  indulgence  they  might  escape  doing  penance 
for  their  sins.  He  would  even  name  over  various  crimes,  and 
say,  "  If  you  have  committed  crimes  like  these,  all  you  have 
to  do  is  to  buy  an  indulgence."  He  urged  them  to  buy  in- 
dulgences for  the  daad,  that  they  might  deliver  the  soul  of 
some  dear  friend  from  purgatory,  saying, 

"  When  in  the  chest  the  money  rings, 
Out  of  its  j)ain  the  spirit  s;)rings." 


94  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

He  even  sold  indulgences  to  cover  sins  that  might  be  com- 
mitted in  the  future.  One  nobleman  who  was  much  dis- 
gusted with  Tetzel  got  even  with  him  on  this  point.  He  told 
Tetzel  that  he  wished  to  take  revenge  on  an  enemy  and  wanted 
to  purchase  an  indulgence  to  cover  the  offense.  After  some 
haggling,  the  price  was  fixed,  and  the  nobleman  got  his  in- 
dulgence with  the  pope's  seal  attached.  Then  he  and  his  men 
waylaid  Tetzel  as  he  was  passing  through  a  wood  to  the  next 
town,  beat  him  soundly  and  took  his  money  box  from  him. 
Tetzel  was  furious,  and  had  the  man  brought  before  the  duke, 
but  the  nobleman  produced  his  indulgence,  which  covered  this 
very  act,  whereupon  the  duke  laughed  and  let  him  go. 

Champion  of  the  Truth.  Luther  was  indignant  at  these 
barefaced  frauds  in  the  name  of  religion.  He  preached 
against  them  openly,  and  finally  posted  on  the  doors  of  the 
cathedral  at  Wittenberg  a  list  of  ninety-five  propositions 
attacking  this  system  of  indulgences  and  challenging  any  one 
to  debate  the  matter  with  him.  In  this  he  was  simply 
following  a  common  custom  of  those  days,  when  scholars  used 
to  hold  public  debates  over  disputed  questions;  but  this  act 
of  Luther's  was  a  turning-point  in  his  own  career,  and  in  the 
history  of  the  church  and  of  the  German  nation.  It  led  to 
stirring  times  before  very  long.  The  news  spread  rapidly, 
and  aroused  consternation  and  alarm.  Luther  was  hailed 
by  many  as  the  leader  for  whom  they  had  been  waiting;  by 
others  he  was  denounced  as  a  heretic,  a  second  Savonarola. 
But  he  was  more  than  that. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story  and  anything  more  that  you  can 
find  about  Luther,  especially  about  his  early  life.  There  are 
many  biographies  written  about  him,  and  you  can  find  plenty 
of  information  in  any  public  library. 

2.  Look  up  on  the  map  of  Germany  the  location  of  Eisleben, 
his  birthplace;  Eisenach,  where  he  went  to  school;  Erfurt, 
where  he  went  to  the  university ;  and  Wittenberg,  where  he 
did  most  of  his  work. 

3.  What  difficulties  did  Luther  have  to  meet  in  his  boyhood  ? 

4.  What  traits  of  character  impress  you  most  in  his  early 
Ufe? 


Lesson  Twenty — Martin  Luther  95 

5.  What  first  brought  him  into  prominence  as  a  Protestant 
reformer? 

6.  What  did  Luther  mean  by  comparing  evil  thoughts  to 
the  birds? 

7.  What  do  you  understand  to  be  the  meaning  of  the  verse 
trom  Romans  quoted  at  the  beginning  of  this  lesson? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

8.  Write  at  the  head  of  a  new  page  Luther's  full  name.  Paste 
below  it  a  portrait  of  hnn  (Brown  No.  1265;  Perry,  Boston  edition, 
No.  785). 

9.  Make  a  list  of  the  important  events  in  the  life  of  Luther,  beginning 
with  his  birth,  giving  place  and  date,  and  going  on  with  the  events  of  the 
next  lesson.  Supplement  this  list  with  any  incidents  that  you  may 
have  learned  from  your  own  reading. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  following  "  Morning  Blessing "  taken  from  Luther's 
Short  Catechism: 

"  I  thank  thee,  my  heavenly  Father,  through  Jesus  Christ,  Thy 
dear  Son,  that  Thou  hast  preserved  me  through  this  night  from  all 
harm  and  danger,  and  I  beseech  Thee  Thou  wouldest  protect  me  this 
day  from  sin  and  all  evil,  that  all  my  deeds  and  my  life  may  be  pleasing 
in  Thy  sight.  For  I  commend  myself,  my  body  and  soul,  and  all,  into 
Thy  hands.  Let  Thy  holy  angel  be  with  me,  that  the  evil  one  may 
have  no  power  over  me.     Amen." 

The  37th  Psalm  is  one  of  which  Luther  was  very  fond,  and  in  which 
he  found  great  comfort.  Vss.  1-8  are  especially  good  to  commit  to 
memory. 


Lesson  20.     MARTIN  LUTHER.     The   Fearless   Foe   of   the 

Papacy. 

"  The  kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves, 
And  the  rulers  take  counsel  together, 
Against  Jehovah,  and  against  his  anointed."     Ps.  2 : 2. 

In  the  Thick  of  the  Fight.  Luther's  bold  stand  against  the 
abuses  in  the  church  soon  brought  upon  him  the  attacks  of 
those  whose  wrongdoing  he  was  reproving.  These  men  had 
no  real  defense  to  make ;  they  simply  accused  Luther  of  being 
a  heretic  and  a  rebel  against  the  authority  of  the  church. 
Luther  replied  by  appeahng  to  the  Bible  as  the  supreme 
authority,  higher  than  that  of  the  church.  At  first  the  pope 
was  disposed  to  underestimate  the  importance  of  Luther's 


96  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

influence  and  teachings  and  to  make  light  of  the  whole  affair, 
but  finally  the  Dominicans  of  Italy  got  him  stirred  up  to 
active  enmity  against  the  brave  monk  who  dared  criticise 
him  and  the  church.  Luther  knew  perfectly  well  the  danger 
he  was  facing.  He  was  not  ignorant  of  Savonarola's  martyr- 
dom, and  knew  that  men  were  calling  him  a  second  Savona- 
rola. He  knew  that  John  Huss  had  been  burned  in  Bohemia 
for  heresy,  but  this  could  not  keep  him  from  following  the 
course  that  he  felt  was  right. 

Luther  would  probably  have  suffered  the  fate  of  Savonarola 
and  Huss  had  it  not  been  for  the  fact  that  he  lived  in  Germany, 
and  was  under  the  protection  of  the  powerful  Prince  Frederick, 
elector  of  Saxony.  The  pope  had  no  power  to  put  any  one  to 
death.  Capital  punishment  could  be  executed  only  by  per- 
mission of  the  emperor.  But  the  Holy  Roman  Empire,  as 
it  was  called,  had  long  since  lost  most  of  its  power,  so  that 
the  emperor  himself  had  to  be  careful  about  arousing  the 
anger  of  the  princes  of  northern  Germany,  lest  he  lose  what 
little  power  he  had  left.  Many  of  these  princes  believed  that 
Luther  was  right,  and  were  ready  to  defend  him  by  force  of 
arms  if  need  be.  But  notwithstanding  these  friends,  the  brave 
monk  was  in  great  danger  owing  to  the  tremendous  influence 
and  unscrupulous  character  of  his  ecclesiastical  foes,  who 
would  not  wait  for  legal  means  to  destroy  him  if  they  could 
only  get  him  into  their  hands. 

Luther's  First  Trial.  The  pope  finally  commanded  Luther 
to  appear  at  Rome  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  heresy  before  a 
judge  who  had  already  accused  him  as  a  heretic.  There 
could  be  but  one  issue  to  such  a  trial,  and  Luther,  though 
always  brave  in  the  path  of  duty,  was  not  so  foolish  as  to  be 
led  into  a  death  trap  to  no  good  purpose.  He  and  his  friends 
insisted  that  the  trial  should  be  held  on  German  soil,  and  a 
conference  was  finally  arranged  with  Cardinal  Cajetan,  the 
papal  delegate,  at  Augsburg.  It  proved  to  be  no  conference 
at  all.  Cajetan  simply  demanded  that  Luther  should  take 
back  all  that  he  had  said,  without  any  further  argument. 
This  Luther  would  not  do,  and  finding  that  Cajetan  was 
planning  to  have  him  arrested,  he  slipped  away  by  night  and 
returned  to  Wittenberg. 

The  Pope's  Bull,  and  its  Fate.  Luther  went  on  preaching 
and  teaching,  and  the  people  eagerly  listened  to  his  words  and 


Lesson  Twenty — Martin  Luther  97 

read  what  he  pubHshed.  Finally  the  pope  issued  a  "  bull," 
or  order,  excommunicating  Luther  and  commanding  that  his 
books  be  burned.  He  would  gladly  have  burned  Luther  also, 
but  he  could  not  get  hold  of  him.  The  bull  was  sent  into 
Germany,  but  Luther  called  a  meeting  of  "  all  friends  of 
evangelical  faith,"  outside  the  city  wall  of  Wittenberg,  where 
a  great  bonfire  was  kindled,  and  the  bull  of  excommunication 
was  publicly  burned,  together  with  a  copy  of  the  canon,  or 
church,  law  of  Rome.  By  this  act  Luther  placed  himself 
in  open  rebellion  against  the  Roman  church,  and  defied  the 
pope.  In  view  of  the  immense  power  of  the  papacy,  we  can 
hardly  imagine  now  what  a  bold  act  this  was. 

Luther's  Declaration  of  Independence.  The  conflict  went 
on,  the  pope  ever  trying  to  silence  Luther,  and  Luther  growing 
ever  more  outspoken  in  his  attacks  upon  the  papacy.  Finally 
he  was  summoned  to  appear  before  the  diet,  or  imperial 
council,  in  the  city  of  Worms,  there  to  answer  to  the  emperor 
for  his  teachings.  Many  of  his  friends  feared  that,  in  spite 
of  the  imperial  pledge  of  safe  conduct,  Luther  would  never 
reach  Worms,  or,  if  he  did,  would  not  leave  it  alive,  and  they 
urged  him  not  to  go.  But  he  rephed,  "  Though  there  be  as 
many  devils  in  W^orms  as  tiles  upon  the  roofs,  I  will  enter." 
The  pope  really  did  not  want  to  have  Luther  appear  at  this 
council,  fearing  his  influence  over  the  people.  Various  tricks 
were  used  to  prevent  his  attending  the  diet,  but  they  all  failed, 
and  Luther  entered  the  city  in  the  midst  of  a  great  procession. 
He  came  before  the  council,  a  splendid  array  of  princes, 
cardinals,  and  high  officials,  most  of  whom  were  prejudiced 
or  violently  hostile  to  him.  "  Martin,"  said  the  emperor's 
representative,  "  the  emperor  hath  summoned  you  thither 
to  answer,  first,  whether  you  have  written  these  books,  and 
others  published  under  your  name,  and,  secondly,  whether 
you  will  recant,  or  abide  by  them." 

Luther  replied  that  he  had  written  the  books,  and  asked  for 
a  day's  time  in  which  to  prepare  his  reply  to  the  second 
question.  This  was  granted,  many  thinking  that  Luther  was 
frightened  and  that  he  would  recant.  As  he  entered  the 
council  hall  the  next  day,  a  famous  old  general,  George  von 
Freundberg,  touched  him  on  the  shoulder,  saying,  "  Good 
monk,  you  have  a  fight  before  you  this  day,  such  as  neither 
I  nor  any  of  my  comrades  in  arms  ever  had  in  our  hottest 
battles." 


98  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

The  council  soon  found  that  Luther  was  not  frightened 
nor  awe-struck.  He  repHed  very  clearly  that  he  was  willing 
to  be  convinced  of  error,  but  otherwise  he  could  not  retract 
what  he  had  said. 

"  His  majesty  is  not  here  to  hold  a  disputation,"  was  the 
reply ;  "  he  wants  a  plain  answer  without  horns." 

**  Well,  then,"  said  Luther,  "  since  his  imperial  majesty 
wants  a  plain  answer,  I  shall  give  him  a  plain  answer,  but 
deprived  of  neither  teeth  nor  horns.  Unless  I  be  refuted 
from  Scripture  or  by  clear  argument,  I  shall  recant  nothing 
against  my  conscience."  These  courageous  words  aroused 
much  excitement,  amidst  which  Luther  exclaimed  again,  **  I 
cannot  do  otherwise.     Here  I  stand.     God  help  me  !" 

Luther  left  the  council,  and  it  is  thought  that  from  that 
night,  which  he  spent  in  prayer  and  devotion,  dates  that 
magnificent  old  hymn  which  has  been  called  the  war  song  of 
the  Reformation,  Ein' Feste  Burg  ist  unser  Gott  ("A  Mighty 
Fortress  is  our  God"). 

"  A  mighty  fortress  is  our  God, 

A  bulwark  never  failing; 
Our  Helper  He,  amid  the  flood 

Of  mortal  ills  prevailing. 
For  still  our  ancient  foe 
Doth  seek  to  work  his  woe; 
His  craft  and  power  are  great; 
And,  armed  with  cruel  hate, 

On  earth  is  not  his  equal. 

**  Did  we  in  our  own  strength  confide, 

Our  striving  would  be  losing, 
Were  not  the  right  Man  on  our  side — 

The  Man  of  God's  own  choosing. 
Dost  ask  who  that  may  be  ? 
Christ  Jesus,  it  is  He; 
Lord  Sabaoth  is  His  name, 
From  age  to  age  the  same. 

And  He  must  win  the  battle. 

"  And  though  this  world,  with  devils  filled, 

Should  threaten  to  undo  us, 
We  will  not  fear,  for  God  hath  willed 

His  truth  to  triumph  through  us. 
The  prince  of  darkne'ss  grim — 
We  tremble  not  for  him; 
His  rage  we  can  endure, 
For  lo !  his  doom  is  sure ; 

One  little  word  shall  fell  him. 


Lesson  Twenty — Martin  Luther 


99 


*'  That  word  above  all  earthly  powers — 

No  thanks  to  them — abideth; 
The  Spirit  and  the  gifts  are  ours, 

Through  Him  who  with  us  sideth. 
Let  goods  and  kindred  go, 
This  mortal  life  also; 
The  body  they  may  kill, 
God's  truth  abideth  still; 

His  kingdom  is  forever."" 

A  Friend  in  Need.     There  were  those  who  would  have  seized 

Luther  and  put  him  to  death  then  and  there,  but,  to  the  credit 
of  the  emperor,  he  would  not  allow  the  three-weeks'  safe- 
conduct  which  had  been 
given  Luther  to  be  violated. 
The  friends  of  Luther 
knew,  however,  that  as 
soon  as  the  three  weeks 
were  over,  and  when  he 
was  once  back  at  home, 
every  effort  would  be  made 
to  arrest  him  and  bring  him 
to  punishment.  For  the 
council  had  finally  placed 
him  under  the  ban  of  the 
empire — that  is,  he  was  to 
be  an  outlaw,  and  all  were  forbidden  to  give  him  food  or  fire 
or  shelter.  His  property  was  to  be  taken  away  from  him, 
and  his  followers  punished.  On  the  journey  back  to  Witten- 
berg, Luther  stopped  at  his  old  home,  Eisenach.  In  a  wood 
near  the  city  a  band  of  armed  men  suddenly  appeared,  seized 
him  and  carried  him  off  a  prisoner.  They  were  kindly  foes, 
however,  and  Luther  soon  found  himself  rather  a  guest  than  a 
prisoner  at  the  Wartburg,  the  great  castle  which  still  stands 
upon  the  crest  of  the  mountain  above  Eisenach.  This  plan 
had  been  adopted  by  his  friend,  Prince  Frederick  of  Saxony, 
to  conceal  him  and  keep  him  from  his  foes. 

Luther  Translates  the  New  Testament.  During  his  stay  at 
the  Wartburg,  Luther  kept  on  with  his  writing  and,  most 
important  of  all,  began  to  translate  the  New  Testament  into 
German  so  that  all  the  people  who  could  read  at  all  might 
read  it  for  themselves.  He  was  blamed  for  this,  just  as  Wyclif 
had  been  for  translating  the  Bible  into  EngHsh,  but  Luther 
did  not  mind  savage  criticism  very  much  by  this  time.     Be 


The  Wartburg. 


100  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

fore  a  year  had  passed,  he  returned  to  Wittenberg,  feeling 
that  things  there  needed  his  attention  so  much  that  personal 
danger  should  not  keep  him  away.  He  had  so  many  friends 
that  the  sentence  of  the  ban  was  never  executed,  and  here 
he  spent  the  rest  of  his  life,  taking  trips  every  now  and  then 
to  visit  the  churches.  He  wrote  many  letters,  rebuking  the 
pope,  counseling  the  clergy,  advising  and  even  admonishing 
princes.  There  is  not  time  to  tell  of  the  other  stirring  events 
of  the  Reformation  time,  of  the  peasants'  war  or  the  activities 
of  the  Smalkald  League.     These  you  will  read  of  in  history. 

Luther  started  out  in  the  world  with  the  conviction  that 
the  greatest  thing  in  life  is  to  follow  one's  conscience  and  to 
do  one's  duty  faithfully  as  before  God.  He  lived  up  to  his 
convictions,  and  became  thereby  the  reformer  of  the  church 
and  the  champion  of  the  rights  and  liberties  of  a  whole  nation. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Finish  your  study  of  the  life  of  Luther  in  this  story  and 
other  books. 

2.  Tell  to  some  one  the  story  of  his  life  in  your  own  words 
and  from  memory. 

3.  What  seem  to  you  to  be  the  greatest  events  in  his  career? 

4.  Do  you  think  that  George  von  Freundberg  was  right 
when  he  said  that  the  fight  that  Luther  had  before  him  at  the 
Diet  of  Worms  was  greater  than  any  of  his  own  battles  1 

5.  Which  takes  the  greater  courage,  to  fight  with  fists  or 
weapons,  or  to  stand  up  for  one's  honest  convictions  in  the 
face  of  prejudice  or  ridicule  or  hatred? 

6.  Does  your  life  at  home  or  at  school  call  for  any  of  the 
kind  of  courage  and  heroism  that  Luther  had  ? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

7.  Complete  the  list  of  events  in  Luther's  life  if  you  have  not  al- 
ready done  so. 

8.  Underscore  with  red  ink  the  events  that  you  think  most  impor- 
tant, and  tell  why  you  choose  these. 

9.  Add  a  picture  of  the  Wartburg,  or  of  Eisenach,  or  some  other 
scene  connected  with  the  life  of  Luther,  if  you  can  find  one. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  A  Mighty  Fortress  is  our  God.  You  should  also  learn  the 
music  to  this,  and  sing  it.  Think  as  you  read  it  of  the  scene  through 
which  Luther  had  passed,  and  note  the  meaning  that  each  line  muf^t 
have  had  for  him. 


Lesson  Twenty-one — Gaspard  dc  Coligny  10\ 

Learn  also  Luther's  "  Evening  Blessing,"  as  a  suggestion  for  a  good 
prayer  to  use  at  the  close  of  the  day : 

"  I  thank  Thee,  my  heavenly  Father,  through  Jesus  Christ,  Thy  deai 
Son,  that  Thou  hast  graciously  protected  me  through  this  day;  and  I 
beseech  Thee  Thou  wouldest  forgive  me  all  my  sins  wherever  I  have 
done  wrong,  and  mercifully  guard  me  this  night.  For  I  commend 
myself,  my  body  and  soul,  and  all,  into  Thy  hands.  Let  Thy  holy 
angel  be  with  me,  that  the  evil  one  may  have  no  power  over  me. 
Amen." 


Lesson  21.     GASPARD  DE  COLIGNY.     The  Leader  of  the 
French  Huguenots. 

Born  Feb.  16,  1517;  died  Aug.  24,  1572. 

"  Jehovah,  who  shall  sojourn  in  thy  tabernacle  ? 
Who  shall  dwell  in  thy  holy  hill? 

He  that  walketh  uprightly,  and  worketh  righteousness, 
And  speaketh  truth  in  his  heart."     Ps.  15:1,  2, 

An  Ill-fated  Friendship.  Had  you  been  in  Paris  about  1540, 
in  the  reign  of  king  Francis  I,  you  might  have  seen  two 
young  men  who  were  evidently  warm  friends.  They  were 
constantly  together,  riding  through  the  streets  at  full  gallop 
or  strolling  quietly  in  the  gardens  at  evening.  At  the  tourna- 
ments, on  the  hunt,  playing  tennis,  in  all  the  sports  enjoyed 
by  the  young  men  of  that  time,  Gaspard  de  Coligny  and 
Francis  de  Lorraine  were  comrades  and  chums.  Few  would 
have  imagined  that  the  day  was  coming  when  these  two  should 
be  enemies,  leading  hostile  armies.  But  their  friendship 
was  of  a  kind  often  seen  between  natures  so  different  that 
time  inevitably  leads  them  apart.  Francis  was  handsome, 
light-hearted,  generous,  full  of  life,  a  favorite  with  all  who 
knew  him,  but  without  strong  principles.  Gaspard  was  more 
quiet,  no  less  generous,  but  more  steady  and  self-controlled, 
not  so  easy  to  get  acquainted  with,  but  a  man  whom  one  could 
always  trust  absolutely. 

Gaspard*s  Early  Training.  The  Colignys  were  an  old 
and  noble  family  in  France,  and  Gaspard  was  taught  from 
boyhood  the  meaning  of  noblesse  oblige — that  noble  birth 
or  rank  implies  the  obligation  of  noble  conduct.  His  father 
died  while  he  was  yet  a  child,  leaving  his  mother  with  seven 
children  to  educate  and  care  for.  She  did  her  work  so  well 
that  her  sons  gained  from  her  the  generous  spirit,  strict 
honesty,  and  moral  courage  that  were  marked  traits  in  her 


102  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

character.  Their  tutor,  an  earnest  Christian  and  fine  scholar, 
taught  them  to  think  for  themselves,  and  neither  to  take 
other  people's  ideas  as  always  correct  nor  to  repeat  words 
like  parrots,  without  thinking  what  they  meant.  And  so, 
thinking  things  out  for  themselves  and  forming  their  own 
opinions,  they  came  to  have  genuine  convictions  that  were 
not  so  easily  changed  as  were  those  of  many  about  them. 

A  Born  Soldier.  The  way  of  promotion  for  a  young  man 
of  noble  birth  in  those  days  was  through  the  army.  War 
was  a  large  part  of  the  nation's  business,  and  the  hero  of  the 
day  was  the  successful  soldier.  Young  Coligny  knew  that 
this  was  to  be  his  business,  and  accordingly  he  trained  himself 
for  it.  While  other  young  men — including  his  friend  Francis, 
as  time  went  on — ^were  giving  themselves  up  to  excesses  of 
pleasure,  he  accustomed  himself  to  severe  physical  exercise, 
lived  a  pure  and  temperate  life,  and  so  built  up  a  strong 
constitution  that  could  stand  the  hardships  of  military 
campaigns.  His  advancement  was  rapid.  He  distinguished 
himself  from  the  first  for  bravery,  wisdom  and  coolness. 
Besides  this,  he  showed  that  he  knew  how  to  command  men 
and  win  their  respect  and  obedience.  He  was  given  more 
and  more  important  commands  until,  when  only  thirty 
years  old,  he  was  made  commander-in-chief  of  all  the  infantry, 
and  five  years  later  he  was  made  admiral  of  France,  with 
command  of  all  her  naval  forces. 

Religious  Convictions.  Gaspard  de  Coligny  was  a  devout 
Catholic,  Hke  most  of  his  friends, 
but  he  carried  into  his  religion  the 
same  habit  of  thinking  for  himself 
that  he  had  formed  in  other  things. 
Conditions  in  the  French  church  were 
much  the  same  as  we  have  found 
that  they  were  in  England,  Italy,  and 
Germany — a  great  deal  of  dead  for- 
mality with  little  genuine  Christian 
spirit.  Especially  did  the  church  in- 
sist that  men  should  think  and  act  in 
religious  matters  as  the  pope  and  the 
priests  told  them  to.  Many  of  the 
Admiral  CoUgny.  -^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  Women  in  France  were 

beginning  to  see  that  this  was  not  right,  and  were  accept- 
ing the  reformed  faith  with  its  simpler  and  purer  worship. 


Lesson  Twenty-one — Gaspard  de  Coligny  103 

These  Protestants,  or  Pluguenots,  as  they  were  called  in 
France,  were  bitterly  persecuted,  and  thousands  of  them 
were  killed  in  the  most  cruel  manner.  In  spite  of  this, 
they  increased  in  numbers  at  a  remarkable  rate.  Admiral 
Coligny  finally  became  convinced  that  he  too  ought  to  accept 
the  reformed  faith.  He  knew  that  it  meant  trouble  for  him, 
the  loss  of  royal  favor,  fewer  chances  for  promotion  and 
honor,  with  the  possibility  of  persecution  and  even  death. 
But  he  was  convinced  that  it  was  his  duty,  and  that  settled 
the  matter. 

Fighting  for  the  Faith.  For  long  years  the  Huguenots 
had  endured  persecution  without  resistance,  but  the  time 
came  when  patience  seemed  no  longer  a  virtue.  The  best 
of  the  Catholics  also  realized  that  there  had  been  too  much 
persecution,  but  the  ambition  and  spite  of  Francis  de  Lorraine, 
who  had  become  duke  of  Guise,  led  to  still  further  outrages. 
The  Protestant  nobles  felt  that  it  was  time  for  them  to  take 
arms  and  defend  their  rights,  and  they  turned  to  the  prince 
of  Conde  and  Admiral  Coligny  as  the  two  men  who  could 
lead  them.  Thus  began  the  dreary  wars  of  religion  which 
for  twelve  long  years  cursed  France  with  civil  strife  and  cost 
the  lives  of  thousands  of  her  bravest  and  best.  There  was 
much  cruelty  on  both  sides,  for  the  Protestants,  goaded  to 
desperation  by  the  persecutions  of  their  foes,  often  retaliated 
in  anything  but  a  Christian  spirit.  Both  sides  had  much 
to  learn  of  the  true  spirit  of  Christianity.  But  Coligny  was 
ever  the  last  to  enter  into  civil  war,  patient  to  extremes  in 
trying  to  avoid  it,  and  always  and  ever  a  fair  fighter.  His 
worst  enemies  were  never  able  to  convict  him  of  any  act  of 
treachery.  His  word  was  trusted  by  every  one,  friend  and 
foe  alike.  He  was  the  first  commander  France  had  seen 
who  disciplined  his  troops  and  tried  to  keep  them  from  the 
acts  of  plunder  and  cruelty  that  marked  the  warfare  of  that 
age.     He  was  a  formidable  foe,  but  a  chivalrous  one. 

It  is  worth  while  to  read  the  story  of  those  wars,  much 
too  long  to  be  told  here,  that  we  may  get  some  idea  of  the 
value  of  religious  liberty.  Freedom  of  conscience  is  now 
common,  but  it  cost  blood  and  agony  to  win  it,  and  Gaspard 
de  Coligny's  name  should  stand  high  on  the  honor  roll  of 
those  Heroes  of  the  Faith  whom  we  have  to  thank  for  what 
we  now  enjoy. 

On  one  side  were  two  weak  kings  in  succession,  Francis  IJ 


104  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

and  Charles  IX,  dominated  by  Catharine  de'  Medici,  the 
queen  mother,  and  the  duke  of  Guise,  all  fighting  selfishly 
to  maintain  their  own  power  at  whatever  cost  to  the  nation. 
On  the  other  side  were  the  Huguenots,  fighting  for  freedom 
to  worship  God  in  the  way  they  honestly  believed  to  be  right. 
The  Protestants  secured  several  treaties  granting  what  they 
asked  for,  only  to  have  them  ignored  and  broken  as  soon  as  they 
had  laid  down  their  arms.  Finally  Coligny  forced  the  king's 
party  to  sign  a  treaty  with  some  guarantees,  and  thought 
that  at  last  the  battle  was  won.  He  now  took  up  the  task 
^f  helping  to  restore  peace  and  order,  and  to  build  up  the 
nation  that  had  been  so  sorely  weakened.  He  won  the  con- 
fidence and  respect  of  king  Charles,  and  it  seemed  for  a  time 
as  if  he  were  to  succeed  in  his  patriotic  aims.  But  all  this 
angered  queen  Catharine  and  the  Guises  as  they  saw  their 
power  and  influence  slipping  away.  They  determined  to 
get  rid  of  Coligny. 

Black  Treachery.  Honorable  means  would  have  accom- 
plished nothing  against  such  a  man  as  the  admiral,  so  they 
adopted  treachery,  and  perpetrated  one  of  the  foulest  crimes 
that  ever  stained  the  history  of  any  nation.  They  took 
advantage  of  a  time  when  large  numbers  of  Huguenots 
were  in  Paris,  having  been  invited  there  to  attend  the  wedding 
of  the  king's  sister  and  Henry  of  Navarre,  a  Huguenot  leader. 
The  conspirators  first  attempted  the  assassination  of  Coligny. 
He  was  fired  upon  from  the  window  of  a  house,  and  badly 
wounded  but  not  killed.  The  assassin  escaped.  The  king 
flew  into  a  rage  and  vowed  terrible  vengeance  upon  those 
responsible.  In  desperation  Catharine  de'  Medici  and  the 
duke  of  Guise  then  persuaded  Charles  that  the  Huguenots 
were  planning  another  uprising  and  an  attack  upon  himself, 
and  that  his  only  hope  of  safety  lay  in  having  them  all  killed. 
The  weak,  cowardly  king  at  length  consented,  although  he 
knew  perfectly  well  that  this  meant  first  of  all  the  death  of 
the  man  whom  he  himself  had  called  the  wisest  counselor,  the 
most  faithful  friend,  and  the  bravest  general  of  his  realm. 

The  plans  were  secretly  but  quickly  made.  The  houses  of 
the  Protestants  were  marked  with  chalk.  The  Catholics 
provided  themselves  with  white  badges  that  they  might 
distinguish  one  another  in  the  darkness.  Then,  on  che  night 
before  St.  Bartholomew's  Day,  the  signal  was  given  by  the 
ringing  of  a  church  bell,  and  the  bloody  work  began.     Admiral 


Lesson  Twenty-one — Gaspard  de  Coligny  105 

Coligny  was  one  of  the  first  victims.  The  men  who  had  been 
placed  about  the  house  where  he  lay  wounded,  with  the  pre- 
tense of  guarding  him,  forced  an  entrance  and  slaughtered 
him  in  cold  blood  without  giving  any  opportunity  for  defense. 
His  body  was  thrown  out  of  the  window,  that  the  duke  of 
Guise,  his  old  friend,  might  be  sure  of  his  death.  In  their 
cowardly  spite  the  mob  heaped  all  manner  of  insults  upon  the 
lifeless  corpse.  For  days  the  dreadful  slaughter  continued, 
until  most  of  the  Huguenots,  especially  the  leaders,  were  killed. 
The  World's  Verdict.  Thus  died  Admiral  Gaspard  de 
Coligny,  one  of  the  noblest  men  that  ever  lived  in  any  land. 
He  died  a  martyr  to  a  seemingly  lost  cause.  The  pope 
caused  the  bells  to  be  rung  in  Rome,  and  had  a  special  medal 
struck  off  to  celebrate  this  glorious  victory  of  the  Catholic 
church  over  the  heretics.  The  cruel  Philip  of  Spain  also 
greatly  rejoiced.  But  the  rest  of  the  civilized  world  revolted 
in  horror  and  disgust  from  so  dastardly  a  crime.  To-day 
the  names  of  Catharine  de'  Medici  and  Charles  IX  are  uni- 
versally despised,  while  that  of  Coligny  is  honored.  His 
life  was  not  in  vain,  for  he  helped  to  bring  nearer  the  day 
when  religious  liberty  did  become  a  fact,  and  when  men  could 
worship  God  according  to  their  own  consciences. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  In  addition  to  this  story,  read  whatever  you  can  find 
about  Coligny  or  the  Huguenots  of  France.  Any  history  of 
France  will  give  information.  Walter  Besant's  biography 
of  Coligny  is  very  interesting. 

2.  Find  out  especially  about  Coligny's  defense  of  St. 
Quentin,  and  the  Huguenots  of  La  Rochelle. 

3.  What  traits  of  character  were  developed  in  Coligny 
by  his  early  training? 

4.  Who  was  his  closest  friend  in  young  manhood,  and  how 
did  the  friendship  turn  out? 

5.  What  qualities  are  most  desirable  in  a  friend? 

6.  What  good  quality  is  most  apparent  in  the  character  of 
Coligny  ? 

7.  The  following  stories  deal  with  the  times  of  the  Hugue- 
nots: A  Cardinal  and  his  Conscience,  by  Graham  Hope; 
For  the  Religion,  and  A  Man  of  his  Age,  by  Hamilton  Drum- 
mond;  Saint  Bartholomew's  Eve^  by  Geo.  A.  Henty,*  Sister 
Rose,  by  Emily  S.  Holt. 


106  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

8.  Head  a  new  page  with  Coligny's  name,  and  write  a  short  story  of 
his  Hfe,  bringing  in  any  points  that  you  may  have  learned  from  the 
story  above,  or  from  other  sources.  Illustrate  it  with  any  appro- 
priate pictures  that  you  can  find. 

9.  Write  at  the  end  of  your  story  the  kind  of  epitaph  or  inscription 
that  you  think  would  be  appropriate  for  a  monument  to  the  meniory  of 
Coligny. 

MEMORY  WORK. 
Learn  the  whole  of  the  Fifteenth  Psalm,  and  note  how  much  of  it 
applies  to  the  character  of  Cohgny. 


Lesson  22.     JOHN  KNOX.      "  Who  Never  Feared  the  Face 

of  Man." 

Born  1505  (?);  died  Nov.  24,  1572. 

"  Take  up  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  with- 
stand in  the  evil  day,  and,  having  done  all,  to  stand."     Eph.  6:  13. 

A  Land  of  Heroic  Deeds.  Have  you  read  vSir  Walter  Scott's 
stories  about  Ivanhoe,  and  Robin  Hood  and  his  Merry  Men, 
or  Rob  Roy,  or  Kenilworth  Castle ;  or  any  of  the  tales  of  the 
Scottish  Highlanders?  If  so,  I  think  you  must  have  felt  a 
little  of  that  tingle  in  the  blood  that  comes  to  every  Scotchman 
when  he  thinks  of  his  native  country.  For  the  history  of 
Scotland  is  full  of  stories  of  brave  deeds  and  stirring  adventure. 
Again  and  again  have  her  hills  and  valleys  rung  with  such 
war-cries  as  that  of  Black  Douglas: 

"  Come  every  hill-plaid,  and 
True  heart  that  wears  one, 
Come  every  steel  blade,  and 
Strong  hand  that  bears  one." 

Too  often  the  clans  have  been  called  together  to  fight  for  some 
ignoble  and  selfish  purpose,  but  there  have  also  been  those 
who,  like  the  Scottish  Covenanters,  fought  for  the  highest 
and  truest  liberty — liberty  of  conscience ;  and  the  hero  of  this 
lesson  was  one  of  those  who  helped  to  inspire  the  hearts  of 
men  for  this  battle. 

Stirring  Times  in  the  World.  We  do  not  know  exactly 
when  John  Knox  was  born ;  probably  in  1505,  though  §ome 
say  1513,  or  thereabouts.     At  any  rate,  he  would  hear  stories 


Lesson  Twenty-two — John  Knox  107 

in  his  boyhood  about  the  fierce  fighting  between  the  Scotch 
and  Enghsh  at  Flodden  Field,  and  learn  to  respect  the  courage 
of  his  countrymen.  Luther  nailed  up  those  theses  of  his, 
that  made  such  a  stir,  when  Knox  was  very  young,  and  all 
those  other  heroic  deeds  m  behalf  of  the  Reformation,  that 
we  have  read  about,  came  during  the  lifetime  of  Knox.  He 
had  plenty  to  stir  his  mind  with  high  ideals  of  truth  and 
loyalty  and  nobility  of  purpose.  We  shall  see  what  influence 
these  things  had  upon  him.  While  at  school  at  Haddington, 
and  during  his  university  life  at  Glasgow,  he  was  learning 
to  think  more  and  more  seriously  about  these  great  events, 
and  of  what  they  might  mean  for  him  and  for  Scotland  and 
for  the  whole  world. 

A  Church  in  Sore  Need.  When  we  remember  how  many 
great  preachers  Scotland  has  given  to  the  world,  it  seems 
strange  to  think  that  the  religious  condition  could  ever 
have  been  so  bad  as  it  was  in  the  boyhood  of  John  Knox. 
The  clergy  were  rich  and  lazy  and  corrupt.  The  priests  were 
appointed  to  their  positions  by  the  government,  and  many 
of  these  benefices,  as  they  were  called,  paid  large  incomes. 
Such  positions  were  openly  bought  and  sold  instead  of  being 
given  to  those  who  were  really  best  fitted  to  act  as  ministers. 
Quentin  Kennedy,  a  Catholic  abbot,  unfriendly  to  Knox, 
frankly  describes  the  situation  when  he  says,  "  And  when 
they  have  gotten  a  benefice,  if  they  have  a  brother  or  son  who 
can  neither  sing  nor  say,  nourished  in  vice  all  his  days,  he  shall 
be  immediately  mounted  on  a  mule,  with  a  sidegown  and  a 
round  bonnet,  and  then  it  is  a  question  whether  he  or  his  mule 
know  best  to  do  his  office."  When  things  get  to  such  a  pass 
that  people  have  little  better  than  donkeys  to  teach  them, 
we  can  imagine  how  much  the  people  themselves  are  likely 
to  know  about  God  and  the  higher  things  of  life. 

The  Blood  of  the  Martyrs.  While  Knox  was  still  a  youth, 
an  event  occurred  which  startled  every  thoughtful  man  in 
Scotland.  Patrick  Hamilton,  a  youth  of  royal  blood  and 
educated  for  the  church,  had  been  to  Wittenberg  and  learned 
from  Luther  the  ideals  of  the  Reformation,  and  had  accepted 
them.  He  returned  to  Scotland  and  began  to  teach  his 
countrymen  the  new  faith.  Decoyed  to  the  castle  of  wSt. 
Andrews,  on  pretext  of  a  conference,  he  was  imprisoned  and 
sentenced  to  be  burned  alive.     Such  an  act  of  tyranny,  for 


108  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

no  other  reason  than  to  prevent  men  from  thinking  and 
worshiping  God  in  their  own  way,  made  a  deep  impression 
upon  an  independent  and  fearless  lad  such  as  Knox  was. 
About  twenty  years  later  another  man,  George  Wishart, 
was  preaching  the  reformed  faith  in  Scotland,  and  Knox  was 
greatly  influenced  by  his  sermons.  When  it  became  evident 
that  Wishart  was  in  danger  of  being  assassinated,  Knox 
attended  him  as  a  body-guard,  carrying  a  sword.  But  the 
time  came  when  Wishart,  too,  was  arrested  and  put  to  death, 
and  Knox  received  one  more  impression  that  was  to  make 
him  a  stern  champion  and  almost  fierce  fighter  for  the  re- 
formed faith. 

Knox's    Preaching.     Knox    himself    had    studied    for    the 
ministry,    and   had   been   ordained   as   a   priest.     P'or   years 
he  was  part  of  the  mechanical  and  unworthy  system  of  the 
Roman  church,  and  taught  under  its  direction  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  St.  Andrews,  but  he  was  ever 
more  dissatisfied  with  it,  and  finally 
broke  with  it  entirely  and  declared 
himself  a  Protestant.     And  so  keen 
was  his  sense  of  the  unworthiness 
and  tyranny  of  that  old  system  that 
he  came  to  hate  it  with  a  deadly 
hatred  which  also  included  those 
who   remained   in   it.     This   fierce 
hatred  of  a  system  in  which  Knox 
saw  little  good  and  boundless  in- 
iquity,  often   led   him   to   express 
himself  in  words  that  may  seem 
unnecessarily    bitter    and    severe. 
John  Knox.  g^^   ^j^^y  ^^^^   abundantly  justi- 

fied by  the  cruelties  and  injustices  which  were  practised  in 
those  days  in  the  name  of  religion,  and  which  were  apt  to 
make  even  conscientious  men  stern  and  hard  in  their  opposi- 
tion to  them.  Knox  preached  in  the  days  when  people  used 
to  listen  without  impatience  to  prayers  two  hours  long,  and 
sermons  even  longer,  and  such  men  must  have  been  of  sturdy 
and  even  stem  minds. 

His  call  came  to  him  in  a  strange  way.  A  band  of  nobles 
and  others,  who,  in  desperation,  had  assassinated  the  cruel 
Cardinal  Beaton,  who  had  put  to  death  by  torture  many 
Protestants,  had  taken  refuge  in  the  cardinal's  own  castle 


Lesson  Twenty-two — John  Knox  109 

of  St.  Andrews,  and  Knox  had  gone  there  with  them  to  be 
the  tutor  of  some  young  men.  Those  who  heard  him  teach 
felt  that  he  ought  to  be  preaching  to  more  people,  but  Knox 
felt  that  he  was  not  ready  to  do  this.  One  day  in  church,  the 
minister  spoke  of  the  call  to  the  ministry,  and  then,  turning 
upon  Knox,  told  him  before  all  the  congregation  that  he  was 
commissioned  by  the  people  to  call  him  to  preach.  Knox 
was  dismayed,  and  burst  into  tears  and  rushed  from  the  room, 
but  could  not  escape  the  sense  of  duty.  He  soon  began 
preaching,  and  became  known  as  the  greatest  preacher  in 
Scotland,  absolutely  fearless  in  his  utterances,  often  stern  and 
harsh,  but  so  sincere  that  every  one  who  heard  him  was 
deeply  moved.  The  English  ambassador  wrote  of  him, 
"  This  man  puts  more  life  into  us  in  one  hour  than  six  hundred 
trumpets  blustering  in  our  ears."  He  was  a  fiery  preacher, 
and  preached  so  vigorously  that  another  said  it  seemed  as  if 
he  "  would  ding  the  pulpit  into  blads  and  flee  out  of  it." 
But  the  thing  that  gave  people  the  greatest  confidence  in 
him  was  that  he  would  rebuke  evil  in  the  king  or  queen  or 
the  nobility  just  as  quickly  as  in  the  humblest  subject. 
Indeed,  he  was  more  severe  on  those  high  in  position,  as  he 
evidently  thought  they  had  less  excuse  than  the  ignorant 
for  their  wrongdoing. 

Sent  to  the  Galleys.  The  castle  of  St.  Andrews  was  finally 
captured  by  the  French,  aided  by  the  Catholic  regent  of 
Scotland,  and  Knox  and  his  companions  were  taken  prisoners 
and  sent  to  the  French  galleys.  These  galleys  were  ships 
propelled  by  many  long  oars,  and  rowed  by  prisoners  who 
were  chained  to  their  benches  and  forced  to  toil  under  the 
lash  of  the  driver.  Knox  shared  this  cruel  hardship  with 
the  others  for  eighteen  or  nineteen  months. 

During  the  latter  part  of  his  captivity  he  was  seized  with 
fever,  and  all  on  board  the  galleys  despaired  of  his  life.  At 
this  time  they  were  off  the  coast  of  Scotland,  and  a  friend 
pointed  out  to  him  one  day  the  spires  of  St.  Andrews,  asking 
if  he  knew  what  place  that  was.  **  I  know  it  well,"  replied 
Knox,  "  for  I  see  the  steeple  of  that  place  where  God  first 
opened  my  mouth  in  public  to  His  glory;  and  I  am  fully 
persuaded,  how  weak  soever  I  now  appear,  that  I  shall  not 
depart  this  life,  till  that  my  tongue  shall  glorify  His  name 
in  the  same  place."  He  was  then  so  ill  that  this  seemed  like 
a  rash  prophecy,  but  his  faith  and  courage  were  destined  to 


1 10  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

be  rewarded.  In  February,  1549,  he  was  liberated  from  the 
galleys  and  sent  to  England,  where  he  was  greatly  honored 
and  where  he  spent  five  years  rendering  most  valuable  help 
in  carrying  on  the  Reformation  during  the  reign  of  Edward  VI. 
Then  came  the  reign  of  Bloody  Mary,  and  Knox  again  showed 
his  fearlessness  by  openly  rebuking  the  people  for  their  ex- 
pressions of  joy  over  her  coronation,  when  it  seemed  only  too 
clear  that  it  was  an  ill  event  for  England  and  for  the  true 
faith. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR   STUDY. 

1.  Turn  to  the  map  of  Scotland  in  your  geography  or 
atlas,  and  look  at  the  general  outline  of  the  country.  Notice 
how  its  coast-line  is  cut  up  into  points  and  promontories,  with 
lochs  and  firths  and  rivers  running  far  up  inland.  Notice, 
too,  how  the  country  is  covered  with  mountain  ranges. 
These  facts  explain  much  of  the  story  of  Scotland,  for  these 
highlands  and  valleys  and  watercourses  made  it  possible  for 
the  clans  to  maintain  their  independence  and  defend  them- 
selves against  even  a  superior  force,  just  as  the  old  Greek 
heroes  did,  or  the  tribes  of  Israel. 

2.  Find  the  city  of  Glasgow  on  the  river  Clyde;  then  look 
over  on  the  other  side  of  Scotland,  and  find  Edinburgh,  on 
the  Firth  of  Forth ;  then  look  for  St.  Andrews  on  the  pro- 
montory reaching  out  into  the  ocean  northeast  of  Edinburgh ; 
and  you  will  have  the  principal  scenes  of  Knox's  life-work. 

3.  Read  the  story,  and  anything  more  that  you  can  find 
out  about  Knox.  Try  to  imagine  how  you  would  feel  toward 
your  minister  if,  instead  of  being  the  kind  of  man  he  is,  he 
were  the  kind  that  Quentin  Kennedy  describes,  and  if  he 
were  to  tell  you  that,  whether  you  liked  it  or  not,  you  must 
go  to  church  and  worship  just  as  he  said,  or  be  punished  and 
perhaps  killed. 

4.  Name  some  of  the  events  in  the  history  of  the  Reforrna- 
tion  in  other  lands  that  John  Knox  must  have  heard  about. 

5.  How  do  you  think  these  things  would  be  likely  to  affect 
him? 

6.  How  did  he  receive  his  call  to  preach?  What  other 
character,  of  whom  you  have  studied  in  these  lessons,  was 
called  in  about  the  same  way?  What  is  the  best  way  to  get 
a  call  or  a  promotion  to  a  better  place  in  life  ? 

7.  What  effect  did  this   call   have   upon    Knox  at  first? 


Lesson  Twenty-three — John  Knox  111 

Do  you  find  anything  like  this  in  Ex.  3: 10,  11 ;  4: 10 ;  or 
Jer.  1:0?  What  made  Moses  and  Jeremiah  finaUy  feel  that 
they  could  do  the  work  to  which  they  were  called  (Ex.  3: 12 
first  part ;  Jer.  1:8)? 

S.  What  events  most  influenced  Knox  to  become  a 
Protestant? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

9.  Write  a  short  story  of  the  early  life  of  Knox,  bringing  in  the 
following  things:  The  religious  condition  of  Scotland,  the  stirring 
events  in  other  lands  of  which  Knox  must  have  heard ;  the  circumstances 
that  caused  him  to  become  a  Protestant,  and  the  experience  that 
tested  his  courage  and  deepened  his  feelings  of  opposition  to  the 
Roman  church. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  First  Psalm. 


Lesson  23.     JOHN    KNOX.     The    Hero  of    the   Scottish 
Reformation. 

"  Thou  therefore  gird  up  thy  loins,  and  arise,  and  speak  unto  them 
all  that  I  command  thee:  be  not  dismayed  at  them,  lest  I  dismay 
thee  before  them.  For,  behold,  I  have  made  thee  this  day  a  fortified 
city,  and  an  iron  pillar,  and  brazen  walls,  against  the  whole  land, 
against  the  kings  of  Judah,  against  the  princes  thereof,  against  the 
priests  thereof,  and  against  the  people  of  the  land.  And  they  shall 
fight  against  thee;  but  they  shall  not  prevail  against  thee:  for  I  am 
with  thee,  saith  Jehovah,  to  deliver  thee."     Jer,  1 :  17-19. 

"  'Tis  man's  perdition  to  be  safe 
When  for  the  truth  one  ought  to  die." 

Fierce  Persecutions.  The  reign  of  Bloody  Mary  in  England, 
where  Knox  had  gone  after  his  liberation  from  the  galleys, 
was  marked  by  a  succession  of  martyrdoms,  the  queen  being 
determined  to  undo  the  work  of  Henry  VIII  and  Edward  VI, 
and  to  restore  the  Roman  church  to  power.  Sixty-five  were 
burned  to  death  in  one  year,  seventy  in  the  next,  the  whole 
number  of  martyrs  under  her  reign  being  three  hundred.  But 
two  things  convinced  the  people  that  the  Protestants  were 
right.  One  was  the  cleaner,  purer,  more  unselfish  lives  that 
most  of  them  lived ;  the  other  was  their  courage  and  firmness 
under  persecution.  Two  of  the  most  distinguished  victims  were 
Bishop  Latimer  and  Bishop  Ridley.     As  they  were  fastened 


tl2 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


to  the  stake,  Bishop  Latimer  said,  "  Master  Ridley,  play  the 
man;  we  shall  this  day,  by  God's  grace,  light  such  a  candle 
in  England  as  I  trust  shall  never  be  put  out."  Another 
victim  was  Cranmer,  who  had  been  archbishop  of  Canterbury 
but  had  accepted  the  reformed  faith.  During  his  imprison- 
ment he  had  wavered,  and,  in  a  moment  of  weakness,  had 
signed  a  paper  taking  back  his  teaching  against  Catholicism. 
But  when  it  came  to  the  last  he  regained  his  courage  and 
stoutly  maintained  his  belief  in  the  reformed  faith.  And 
when  he,  too,  was  burned  he  thrust  his  right  hand  into  the 
flame  and  held  it  there  steadily,  saying,  "  This  is  the  hand 
that  wrote  the  recantation,  therefore  it  first  shall  suffer 
punishment." 

Exiled  for  Conscience's  Sake.  Many  of  the  Protestants 
in  England  left  their  homes  and  went  to  Geneva  in  Switzer- 
land, or  to  various  towns  in  Germany,  and  among  these  was 
Knox.  He  himself  was  anxious  to  stay,  even  at  the  cost  of  his 
life,  but  the  tears  and  entreaties  of  his  friends  finally  prevailed 
on  him  to  seek  safety  in  flight.  On  the  continent  he  lived 
for  some  years,  preaching  to  the  Reformed  churches  and  writ-, 
ing  letters  home  to  strengthen  the  faith  of  those  who  were 
enduring  hardships  there.  Meanwhile  Protestantism  was  ad- 
vancing in  Scotland.     Mary  Stuart,  the  queen,  was  but  a  child, 

and  her  mother,  Mary  of  Guise, 
was  regent.  In  order  to  gain  her 
power  she  had  favored  the  Protes- 
tants, whose  numbers  had  increased 
by  refugees  from  England,  and 
matters  had  reached  the  stage 
where  it  seemed  safe  to  call  Knox 
home  to  resume  his  work  there. 


Recalled  to  Scotland.  His  com- 
ing soon  produced  such  an  effect 
in  the  strengthening  of  Prot- 
estantism in  Scotland  that  the 
Catholic  clergy  were  stirred  against 
him.  He  was  finally  summoned 
to  appear  before  a  council  at 
Edinburgh,  and,  to  the  amazement 
of  the  bishops,  he  obeyed  the 
summons.  They  did  not  expect  him  to  come,  and  had 
planned  to  condemn  him  in  his  absence.     His  boldness  turned 


John  Knox*s  House,  Edinburgh. 


Lesson  Twenty-three — John  Knox  113 

the  tables,  the  clergy  failed  to  appear  against  him  and  the 
accusation  was  dropped.  Soon  after  thi:-  he  was  again  called 
to  Geneva  as  pastor  of  the  English  church  there,  and  so  was 
out  of  Scotland  for  a  number  of  years. 

Conflicts  with  the  Authorities.  When  Knox  again  returned 
to  Scotland  he  found  that  Mary  of  Guise,  having  gained  the 
ends  for  which  she  had  sought  the  favor  of  the  Protestants, 
had  thrown  off  the  mask  and  was  now  attempting  to  crush  out 
Protestantism  altogether.  But  the  preaching  of  the  reformed 
ministers  against  the  sins  and  evil-doing  of  which  even  the 
clergy  were  guilty  had  wakened  a  strong  response  in  the  hearts 
of  the  people,  and  they  were  not  easily  intimidated.  When 
the  archbishop  summoned  the  reformed  preachers  before 
him  at  St.  Andrews,  a  deputation  of  the  Protestant  nobles 
waited  upon  the  queen  regent  and  told  her  that  if  the  pros- 
ecution of  these  men  proceeded  there  would  be  a  greater 
gathering  at  St.  Andrews  than  Scotland  had  seen  for  a  long 
time.  The  queen  was  alarmed  and  stopped  the  trial.  Knox 
went  about  from  place  to  place,  preaching  with  fiery  eloquence. 
He  was  proclaimed  an  outlaw  and  a  rebel,  which  practically 
gave  permission  to  any  one  to  kill  him.  He  went  on  preach- 
ing just  the  same.  His  spirit  is  well  expressed  in  a  letter 
written  somewhat  earlier  than  this:  "  Satan,  I  confess, 
rageth,  but  potent  is  He  that  promise th  to  be  w4th  us  in  all 
such  enterprises  as  we  take  in  hand  at  His  commandment. 
And  therefore  the  less  fear  we  any  contrary  power;  yea,  in 
the  boldness  of  our  God  we  altogether  contemn  them,  be  they 
kings,  emperors,  men,  angels,  or  devils." 

Soon  after  this,  Knox  was  invited  by  the  Protestant  nobles 
to  come  to  St.  Andrews  and  preach.  The  archbishop  stationed 
soldiers  at  the  church,  and  served  notice  on  Knox  that  if  he 
entered  the  pulpit  the  soldiers  would  fire  upon  him.  His 
friends  tried  to  persuade  him  not  to  risk  his  life,  but  Knox 
would  not  listen.  He  entered  the  pulpit  and  preached  with 
all  his  customary  vigor,  and  there  was  no  interruption. 

Matters  soon  came  to  a  state  of  civil  war.  A  price  w^as  set 
upon  Knox's  head,  and  a  reward  offered  for  his  arrest  or 
death,  but  this  did  not  stop  him  in  the  least.  Parliament 
finally  met  and  declared  for  Protestantism  as  the  form  of 
worship  to  be  observed  in  Scotland.  Mary  of  Guise  was 
deposed  and  after  her  death  a  few  months  later,  Mary  Stuart 
came  home  from  France. 


114  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

Knox  and  Mary  Queen  of  Scots.  It  was  understood  that 
Mary,  who  was  a  Catholic,  should  have  liberty  to  worship 
as  she  chose  in  private,  but  that  the  rights  which  Parliament 
had  established  for  the  Protestants  should  be  observed.  She 
had  not  been  long  in  Scotland,  however,  before  it  became 
evident  that  she  intended  to  overthrow  Protestantism  if 
possible.  When  the  news  of  the  massacre  of  Vassy  in  France 
was  received,  the  queen  gave  a  ball  at  court.  Knox  denounced 
this  act  in  a  public  sermon,  and  was  summoned  before  the 
queen.  She  demanded  an  explanation  of  the  sermon,  which 
had  been  reported  to  her.  Knox  replied  that  if  she  had 
attended  the  service  of  worship,  as  she  should  have  done, 
she  might  have  heard  for  herself  what  had  been  said,  and  then 
proceeded  to  preach  the  sermon  over  again  to  her.  As  he 
was  leaving  the  conference,  he  heard  one  of  the  attendants 
say  with  surprise,  "  He  is  not  afraid."  "  Why  should  I  be 
afraid  of  the  pleasing  face  of  a  gentlewoman?"  he  replied; 
**  I  have  looked  in  the  faces  of  many  angry  men  and  yet  have 
not  been  afraid  above  measure." 

As  queen  Mary's  views  became  better  known  the  Catholic 
priests  grew  bolder  in  their  attempt  to  re-establish  the  unlaw- 
ful Catholic  worship,  and  some  of  the  nobles  in  the  west  of 
Scotland  took  up  arms  to  enforce  the  laws  against  them. 
The  queen  sent  for  Knox  again  to  protest  against  this,  al- 
though she  herself  had  gone  through  the  form  of  issuing 
proclamations  which  were  supposed  to  order  just  what  these 
men  had  done.  Knox  upheld  the  Protestants,  and  the  queen 
finally  exclaimed,  "  Will  ye  allow  that  they  should  take  my 
sword  in  their  hands?"  **  The  sword  of  justice  is  God's,'' 
replied  the  reformer  firmly. 

Tried  for  Treason.  Plans  for  the  restoration  of  Catholicism, 
that  had  meant  so  much  of  tyranny,  went  on,  and  Knox  was 
untiring  in  his  efforts  to  oppose  them.  At  the  demand  of  the 
queen  he  was  finally  summoned  before  a  council  to  answer 
to  the  charge  of  treason.  Before  the  trial  came  off,  every 
effort  was  made  to  persuade  Knox  to  plead  guilty  and  to 
throw  himself  on  the  mercy  of  the  queen.  He  saw  through 
this  plan  clearly  enough  and  refused  to  do  any  such  thing. 
The  day  of  the  trial  came,  and  the  yard  of  the  palace  and 
the  avenues  leading  to  it  were  crowded  with  people  anxious 
to  hear  the  result.  Knox  appeared  before  the  council  and 
with  perfect  frankness  defended  himself  against  the  charge  of 


Lesson  Twenty-three — John  Knox  115 

treason,  and  to  such  good  effect  that  the  vote  was  over- 
whelmingly in  his  favor.  The  queen's  secretary  was  so 
enraged  that  he  asked  the  queen  to  come  back  into  the 
council  chamber  and  then  called  for  the  vote  to  be  taken  over 
again.  This  attempt  at  intimidation  so  enraged  the  council 
that  they  voted  even  more  decidedly  than  before  to  acquit 
Knox  of  the  charge  brought  against  him. 

Last  Days.  The  struggle  went  on,  but  Protestantism  kept 
gaining  strength  all  the  while.  Knox  was  appealed  to  on 
every  side  for  counsel  and  advice.  His  voice  could  rally  the 
discouraged  as  no  other's  could.  His  life  was  attempted 
again  and  again.  On  one  occasion  a  bullet  was  fired  through 
the  window  of  his  room,  which  must  have  killed  him  had  he 
not  been  sitting  in  an  unaccustomed  place.  As  he  grew  older, 
and  illness  laid  hold  upon  him,  he  would  gladly  have  laid  down 
the  burdens  of  leadership,  but  he  never  refused  a  call  to  duty 
as  long  as  his  strength  lasted.  One  of  his  last  public  acts 
was  to  preach  a  tremendous  sermon  in  denunciation  of  the 
outrage  of  St.  Bartholomew,  the  news  of  which  had  come 
from  France.  The  French  ambassador  w^as  present,  and 
Knox  told  him  to  tell  his  master,  "  that  cruel  murderer  and 
false  traitor,"  that  sentence  was  pronounced  against  him  in 
Scotland,  that  divine  vengeance  would  never  depart  from 
him,  nor  from  his  house,  if  repentance  did  not  ensue.  The 
ambassador  was  greatly  angered,  and  tried  to  have  Knox 
suppressed,  but  in  vain. 

Not  long  after  this  the  end  came.  John  Knox  had  braved 
perils  without  number,  but  died  quietly  at  home  among 
friends,  with  the  words  of  the  Bible  upon  his  lips.  He  was 
buried  on  November  26,  1572,  in  the  churchyard  of  St.  Giles, 
and  as  his  body  was  laid  to  rest,  the  regent  Morton  pro- 
nounced his  eulogy  in  these  words:  "  Here  lyeth  a  man  who 
in  his  life  never  feared  the  face  of  man."  Carlyle's  tribute 
is  well  deserved:  *'  Honor  to  all  the  brave  and  true;  ever- 
lasting honor  to  brave  old  Knox,  one  of  the  truest  of  the 
true !" 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  What  things  had  most  influence  in  convincing  people 
that  the  Protestants  were  right? 

2.  Tell  some  incidents  that  showed  the  courage  of  the 
reformers. 


116  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

3.  In  what  ways  did  Knox  himself  show  courage  ? 

4.  In  what  ways  are  boys  and  girls  to-day  called  upon  to 
show  the  same  kind  of  courage? 

5.  What  gave  Paul  the  courage  to  face  persecutions  and 
trials  and  hardships?     (Rom.  8:35-39.) 

6.  How  do  you  explain  the  fact  that  Knox's  life  was  spared 
in  spite  of  the  many  threats  made  against  him,  and  the  dangers 
by  which  he  was  surrounded  ? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

7.  Finish  your  story  of  John  Knox,  telling  of  the  incidents  in  his 
later  life,  and  write  a  paragraph  at  the  end  giving  your  opinion  of  him 
as  a  man. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Rom.  8:35-39. 


Lesson  24.     REVIEW  OF  LESSONS  13-23. 

The  characters  studied  during  this  quarter  are  all  noted 
as  reformers,  men  who  saw  the  evils  that  existed  in  the  life 
about  them,  and  tried  to  make  things  better.  Most  of  them 
contributed  to  that  great  movement  in  European  history 
known  as  the  Reformation,  by  which  people  were  brought  out 
from  bondage  to  the  Roman  Catholic  church  at  a  time 
when  it  had  become  frightfully  corrupt,  and  enabled  to  worship 
God  as  they  believed  to  be  right. 

1.  Make  a  list  of  the  characters  studied,  and  the  important 
points  about  them,  as  follows:  Write  across  the  page  in  your 
note-book  the  headings  of  four  columns:  "  Name,"  "  Coun- 
try," "  Object  of  Reform,"  "  Opposed  by  "  ;  and  under  these 
headings  write  the  facts  concerning  each  character.  For 
example : 


Name 

Country 

Object  of  Reform 

Opposed  by 

Elijah 

Israel 

Baal  worship 

King  Ahab  and 

and  tyranny 

Queen  Jezebel 

2.  Answer  these  questions  from  memory,  writing  answers 
in  the  blank  spaces.  They  are  not  arranged  in  the  order  of 
the  lessons  as  studied. 


Lesson  Twenty-four — Review  of  Lessons  13-23  117 

(j)  What  does  noblesse  oblige  mean?     

Which  of  these  characters  gives  a  fine 

example  of  this  idea?     

(2)  Who  said,  "  Jehovah  took  me  from  following  the  flock, 
and  Jehovah  said  unto  me,  Go,  prophesy  unto  my  people  "? 


(j)  Of  what  reformer  was  it  said,  "  He  never  feared  the 
face  of  man"?     

(^)  Who  challenged  four  hundred  prophets  of  a  false 
religion  to  a  test  of  their  religion,  and  with  Jehovah's  help  won 
a  great  victory  over  them?     

(5)  Who  wrote 

"  A  mighty  fortress  is  our  God, 

A  bulwark  never  failing  "?     

Do  you  know  the  rest  of  this  hymn? 

{6)  W^ho  first  translated  the  Bible  into  English  ?     

(7)  Who  w^as  called  to  preach  to  his  countrymen,  and,  for  his 
loyalty  to  the  truth,  was  imprisoned  and  put  into  the  stocks, 
lowered  into  a  cistern,  tried  for  treason,  and  at  last  (probably) 
stoned  to  death  by  those  whom  he  tried  to  serve  ?     

{8)  Who  was  the  heroic  leader  of  the  Reformation  in  Scot- 
land?      

(p)  Who  helped  to  save  his  city  from  her  worst  foes,  helped 
her  to  obtain  a  better  system  of  government,  gave  nobler 
ideals  to  her  citizens,  and  was  finally  mobbed  in  her  streets 
and  martyred?     

(jo)   Of  whom  was  this  line  written? 

**  The  solitary  monk  that  shook  the  world."     

{11)  Who  organized  the  street  boys  of  his  city  into  an  army 
for  reform?     


118  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

3.  Write  in  your  note-book  the  verse  or  poem  learned 
during  this  quarter  that  you  like  best. 

4.  Which  of  the  characters  studied  do  you  most  admire, 
and  why  ? 

5.  Is  there  anything  in  the  life  about  you,  at  home,  at 
school,  or  on  the  playground  that  you  think  might  well  be 
reformed  ? 

6.  What  might  you  or  other  boys  and  girls  of  your  age  do 
to  help  make  this  thing  better  ? 

*'  Let  us,  then,  be  up  and  doing, 
With  a  heart  for  any  fate; 
Still  achieving,  still  pursuing, 
Learn  to  labor  and  to  wait." 


THIRD  QUARTER 


Lesson  25.     PAUL. '   The  Persecutor  who  Became  an  Apostle. 

Born  about  a.  d.  1 ;  died  about  a.  d.  64. 
"  I  was  not  disobedient  unto  the  heavenly  vision."     Acts  26: 19. 

An  Old  University  Town.  If  you  will  look  at  the  map  of 
Asia,  on  the  northeast  shore  of  the  Mediterranean  sea,  you 
will  see  a  little  river,  called  the  Cydnus,  flowing  down  from 
the  north  through  the  province  of  Cilicia ;  and  on  this  river, 
a  few  miles  from  its  mouth,  you  will  see  the  city  of  Tarsus. 


Tarsus. 

The  city  is  very  old,  and  even  before  the  birth  of  Christ  was 
famous  for  its  schools,  from  which  teachers  were  selected  to 
teach  the  sons  of  the  Roman  emperors.  It  was  also  a  rich 
and  prosperous  city,  and  ships  used  to  come  up  the  river  to 
its  wharves,  bringing  merchandise  from  many  lands.  There 
were  fine  palaces  and  beautiful  gardens,  a  great  market- 
place, the  gymnasium  and  race-track,  and  other  places  for 
the  amusement  of  the  people. 

A  Boy  with  a  Future.  In  the  Jewish  quarter  of  this  city, 
about  nineteen  hundred  years  ago,  there  lived  a  boy  named 
Saul,  whom  we  know  better  by  the  Greek  form  of  his  name, 
Paul.  We  do  not  know  the  names  of  his  parents,  which  is 
rather  a  pity,  for  they  deserve  some  credit  for  bringing  up  a 
boy  who  accompHshed  all  that  Paul  did  in  the  world.     As  a 

119 


120  Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson 


little  child  he  was  very  carefully  taught  in  the  law  of  the 
Jewish  people.  First,  his  mother  told  him  thrilling  stories  of 
the  old  Hebrew  patriots  and  prophets,  that  stirred  his  heart 
with  a  longing  to  be  worthy  of  such  an  ancestry.  Then, 
when  he  was  five  years  old,  his  father  began  the  lessons  that 
would  continue  all  through  his  school  life,  and  Paul  had  to 
learn  by  heart  verse  after  verse  of  the  books  of  Moses  and  the 
traditions  and  teachings  of  the  scribes.  There  were  hundreds 
of  different  rules  governing  almost  every  action  in  life,  and 
the  young  Jewish  lad  had  to  learn  them  all,  and  there  was 
hardly  anything  that  he  could  do  from  one  day's  end  to  another 
without  having  to  think  of  some  rule  for  it. 

School  and  College.  When  Paul  was  six  years  old,  he  was 
sent  to  school,  where  he  sat  upon  the  floor  with  the  other  boys 
while  the  teacher  sat  upon  a  platform  at  one  end  of  the  room. 
In  a  singsong  voice  the  teacher  would  repeat  some  sentence 
and  then  beckon  to  the  boys  to  repeat  it.  Instantly  every 
voice  would  be  raised,  as  the  pupils  shouted  the  words  that 
the  teacher  had  just  spoken.  The  din  would  seem  like  utter 
confusion  in  a  modem  school,  but  this  was  the  way  these 
boys  were  taught,  and  in  this  way  they  learned  by  heart  all 
the  books  of  the  law  as  well  as  the  traditions.  When  Paul 
was  thirteen  years  of  age  he  was  called  a  Son  of  the  Law, 
which  meant  that  he  was  supposed  to  know  the  law  well 
enough  to  be  held  responsible  for  acting  in  accordance  with 
its  teachings,  and  when  we  remember  that  there  was  a  rule 
for  everything  in  life,  this  meant  a  great  deal.  Paul  had  to 
take  an  examination  at  the  synagogue,  and  then  one  day  he 
stood  up  before  the  people,  and  one  of  the  rabbis  placed  upon 
his  left  arm,  near  his  heart,  a  little  black  box  of  leather  with 
two  long  strips  of  leather  attached.  These  strips  were  wound 
seven  times  around  his  arm  down  to  the  hand,  then  three 
times  about  the  hand  and  tied  in  a  knot  at  the  middle  finger. 
In  this  little  box  were  four  texts  of  Scripture  that  had  been 
written  with  a  specially  prepared  ink,  and  part  of  the  words 
were:  **  It  shall  be  for  a  sign  unto  thee  upon  thy  hand,  and 
for  a  memorial  between  thine  eyes,  that  the  law  of  Jehovah 
may  be  in  thy  mouth."  This  phylactery,  as  it  was  called, 
Paul  always  wore  when  he  entered  the  synagogue,  and  later 
in  life  he  bound  another  upon  his  forehead  also. 

In  course  of  time  Paul  went  on  from  the  synagogue  school 
to  the  school  at  Jerusalem,  where  he  had  for  a  teacher  one  pf 


Twcray-nv9  p^ul  121 

the  wisest  of  the  rabbis  of  that  time,  named  GamaHel,  whose 
grandfather  Hillel  was  author  of  one  of  the  greatest  of  the 
rabbinical  teachings:  "  What  you  yourself  dislike,  do  not  to 
your  neighbor." 

Learning  a  Trade.  While  Paul  was  still  a  small  boy  he 
learned  the  tent-maker's  trade  from  his  father.  Every 
Jewish  boy  was  obliged  to  learn  some  trade  in  order  that  he 
might  be  able  to  support  himself,  even  though  he  might  not 
expect  to  follow  that  trade  all  the  time.  Those  who  were 
studying  to  be  teachers  were  no  exception,  for  the  rabbis 
were  not  expected  to  take  money  for  their  teaching.  One 
of  them  said,  "  Use  not  the  law  as  a  spade  to  dig  with  " ;  and 
another  said,  "  Work  is  great ;  it  honors  God."  So  Paul  went 
into  the  weaving  shed  and  learned  to  weave  the  strong, 
firm  cloth  of  goats'  hair,  from  which  tents  were  made  and  for 
which  Cilicia  was  famous.  It  is  likely  that  his  father  would 
go  away  up  the  valley  to  the  mountains  where  the  shepherds 
had  their  flocks  of  goats,  and  bring  back  with  him  great 
bundles  of  hair,  which  had  to  be  combed  out  and  spun  into 
thread,  and  some  of  it  dyed  red  or  brown  or  purple  or  green 
for  the  patterns  of  the  tent  cloth.  Probably  Paul  accom- 
panied his  father  on  such  trips,  and  had  rare  times,  with  all 
the  work,  tramping  over  the  fields,  or  fishing  in  the  stream, 
and  undoubtedly  being  hunted  now  and  then  by  wild  animals 
or  possibly  by  wild  men  as  well. 

Of  the  Strictest  Sect  of  the  Pharisees.  So  young  Paul  grew 
to  manhood,  and  became  a  well-trained  Pharisee,  one  of  those 
Jews  who  believed  that  salvation  and  peace  were  to  be  found 
in  strict  observance  of  the  laAv.  He  was  taught,  too,  that 
others  were  not  quite  as  good  as  the  Pharisees,  and  that  the 
Gentiles,  or  those  who  were  not  Jews,  were  really  outcasts 
and  not  fit  to  associate  with.  He  was  taught  to  believe 
that  God  had  chosen  the  Jews  above  all  others  to  receive  His 
blessing ;  that  the  Messiah  who  was  coming  should  be  a  great 
national  leader  to  set  them  free  from  Rome,  and  that  any 
who  opposed  the  teachings  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
were  to  be  punished  severely.  All  this  shows  why  Paul 
joined  in  persecuting  the  early  Christians. 

Paul  and  the  Christians.  As  a  young  man,  Paul  undoubt- 
edly heard  of  Jesus,  the  prophet  of  Nazareth,  who,  after  a 
few  years  of  teaching  and  gathering  about  Him  a  little  band 


122  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^^n 

of  disciples, .  had  been  condemned  to  death  and  executed  by 
the  Roman  authorities.  No  doubt  he  knew  that  the  Jews 
had  demanded  His  death  on  the  charge  of  treason,  although 
the  real  reason  for  their  enmity  was  that  they  considered 
His  teaching  hostile  to  that  of  the  scribes,  and  that  they 
thought  Him  a  blasphemer.  But  now  a  strange  report  was 
about,  that  this  Jesus  had  risen  from  the  dead,  and  His 
disciples  were  going  about  preaching  and  teaching  that  this 
was  so,  and  that  Jesus  was  really  the  expected  Messiah, 
and  that  the  rulers  of  the  Jews  were  murderers  for  having 
had  Him  put  to  death.  And  many  of  the  people  were  believ- 
ing them  and  being  drawn  away  from  the  rehgion  of  the  Jews. 
From  what  we  have  heard  of  Paul's  early  training  we  can  see 
how  all  this  would  affect  him.  It  seemed  to  him  that  these 
Christians  ought  to  be  put  down,  and  he  threw  himself  with 
all  the  energy  of  his  nature  into  that  work.  He  went  from 
place  to  place  arresting  them,  putting  them  into  prison  and 
having  them  killed  as  heretics.  But  all  the  while  he  could 
not  help  seeing  that  these  Christians  were  good  people.  They 
were  industrious,  quiet,  peaceable,  unselfish,  good  in  every 
way  except  that  they  did  not  any  longer  observe  the  Jewish 
law  in  their  religious  life.  And  this  made  Paul  think  a  great 
deal. 

The  Persecutor  Becomes  a  Christian.  One  day  he  set  out 
for  Damascus,  where  many  of  these  Christians  had  taken 
refuge,  intending  to  hunt  them  down  and  punish  them.  As 
he  drew  near  the  city,  he  undoubtedly  was  thinking  about 
the  Christians  he  had  seen  martyred  and  those  he  was  gojng 
to  hunt.  Suddenly  there  came  a  blinding  flash  of  light,  and 
he  fell  to  the  ground.  He  could  see  nothing,  but  as  he  lay 
there  he  heard  a  voice  as  clearly  as  if  some  one  stood  by  his 
side,  saying,  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou  me?"  And 
when  he  asked,  "  Who  art  thou.  Lord?"  the  voice  answered, 
"  I  am  Jesus,  whom  thou  persecutest."  Paul  understood 
then  that  in  his  mistaken  zeal  he  was  really  persecuting,  not 
the  enemies,  but  the  friends  of  God.  He  rose  to  his  feet, 
bewildered  and  ashamed,  and,  led  by  his  companions,  for  he 
still  could  see  nothing,  he  went  into  Damascus.  For  several 
days  he  lay  quietly  trying  to  think  what  this  all  meant  and 
what  he  ought  to  do.  One  of  the  Christians  there  came  to 
see  him  and  talked  with  him.  Paul  recovered  his  sight  and 
determined  that  he  would  make  good  the  mistakes  of  his  life, 


TwetUv-nv  Paul  123 

so  far  as  he  could,  by  giving  himself  to  preaching  the  Gospel 
of  Christ  as  energetically  as  he  had  hitherto  opposed  it. 
This  meant  a  great  sacrifice  for  him.  It  meant  turning  his 
back  upon  his  old  friends,  giving  up  the  position  of  power 
and  influence  which  he  had  in  the  Jewish  church,  and  sub- 
jecting himself  to  the  danger  of  such  persecution  as  he  himself 
had  formerly  inflicted  on  others.  But  he  had  become  con- 
vinced that  this  was  his  duty,  and  he  turned  squarely  about 
to  face  it.  From  this  time  on  he  was  a  different  man,  and 
this  new  ideal  of  life  led  him  into  some  stirring  adventures 
and  hardships,  as  we  shall  see. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Mr.  Robert  Bird's  PmLl  of  Tarsus  is  an  interesting 
biography  of  the  great  Apostle.  Read  this  book  if  possible, 
and  also  look  up  something  about  Paul  and  his  birthplace  in 
the  Bible  dictionary  or  encyclopedia. 

2.  Find  out  what  you  can  about  Tarsus,  and  then  make  a 
list  of  the  things  you  think  Paul  would  be  likely  to  see  and 
do  as  a  boy. 

3.  Read  Deut.  6:4-9  and  find  there  the  words  which  Paul 
would  hear  often  in  the  synagogue,  and  which  his  mother 
would  teach  him  to  repeat. 

4.  Did  Paul  make  use  of  the  trade  he  learned  as  a  boy? 
(Acts  18:3;  20:33,  34;  1  Thes.  2:9.) 

5.  What  did  Jesus  think  of  the  way  in  which  the  Pharisees 
kept  aloof  from  others?     (Lu.  16:9-14.) 

6.  What  changed  Paul  from  a  proud  Pharisee  into  a  devoted 
Christian?  See  the  story  and  read  Acts  8:1-3;  9:1-18,  and 
ch.  26. 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

7.  Write  a  short  story  of  the  boyhood  of  Paul,  illustrating  it  with 
such  pictures  as  seem  appropriate.  Raphael's  St.  Paul  is  a  good  one. 
Tell  the  story  of  Paul's  conversion  following  after  his  persecution  of 
the  Christians. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Deut.  6:4-9  and  Paul's  words  before  Agrippa,  Acts  26:19 
Do  you  see  any  connection  between  these  two  passages? 


124 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesaon 


Lesson  26.     PAUL.     The  Founder  of  Christian  Missions. 

"  Now  we  that  are  strong  ought  to  bear  the  infirmities  of  the  weak, 
and  not  to  please  ourselves."     Rom.  15:  1. 

In  Danger  of  his  Life.  Paul  never  hesitated  a  moment  when 
his  duty  was  clear.  In  the  very  city  to  which  he  had  come  to 
persecute  the  Christians  he  now  proclaimed  himself  a  convert 

to  their  faith.  In  the  syna- 
gogue he  told  the  story  of  his 
experience,  and  avowed  his  faith 
in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah.  He 
soon  found  himself  in  exactly 
the  same  situation  as  those 
whom  he  had  so  lately  hunted 
down.  Word  came  that  the 
Jews  were  plotting  to  kill  him, 
and  that  they  were  watching 
the  city  gates  to  see  that  he  did 
not  escape.  His  friends  took 
him  by  night  to  a  lonely  part  of 
the  city  wall  and  let  him  down 
on  the  outside.  Away  in  the 
darkness,  a  hunted  Christian, 
ran  he  who  shortly  before  had  ridden  toward  that  city  with 
power  from  the  high  priest  to  hunt  down  the  Christians.  And 
yet  Paul  did  not  regret  the  change,  nor  did  he  ever  cease  to 
be  glad  that  he  had  become  a  Christian.  We  cannot  here  tell 
all  the  adventures  and  hardships  he  had  to  meet,  but  we  may 
glance  at  a  few  scenes,  enough  to  show  the  energy  and  resource- 
fulness of  this  man. 

Foreign  Missionary  Work.  From  Damascus  Paul  went  to 
Jerusalem,  and  there  preached  his  new  faith  with  such  boldness 
and  power  that  he  soon  found  that  city  dangerous,  and  his 
friends  again  sent  him  away,  this  time  to  his  old  home.  Tarsus. 
Meanwhile  the  Christians  were  finding  that  the  Gentiles 
also  received  with  joy  the  good  news  of  God's  love  as  Jesus 
had  taught  it,  and  Paul  was  soon  called  to  Antioch,  where 
his  learning  and  skill  in  argument  were  needed  to  help  per- 
suade the  educated  Greeks  of  that  city.  Thus  Paul  began 
his  career  as  the  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles  or,  as  we  should  say 
to-day,  as  a  foreign  missionary^  It  was  at  Antioch  in  Syria 
that  the  disciples  were  first  called  Christians,  the  name  being 


Tweruv-stx  p^ul  125 

given  to  them  probably  as  a  nickname,  in  derision.  But 
Paul,  who  was  not  afraid  of  being  killed,  certainly  was  not 
afraid  of  being  laughed  at,  and  went  on  with  his  work.  In  a 
letter  which  he  later  wrote,  he  said:  "  I  am  not  ashamed  of 
the  gospel:  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation."  The 
Christian  church  at  Antioch  grew  larger  and  stronger,  and 
began  to  think  of  sending  to  others  the  Gospel  that  had  so 
blessed  them.  So  they  sent  out  Paul  and  Barnabas  as  for- 
eign missionaries. 

Adventures  Abroad.  First  they  went  to  Cyprus,  then 
across  the  sea  to  Antioch  in  Pisidia.  Here  they  spoke  in  the 
synagogue  with  such  power  as  to  convince  many,  but  some  of 
the  Jews  there  refused  to  listen.  The  Apostles  then  went  to 
Iconium,  and  on  to  Lystra  and  Derbe.  In  Lystra,  Paul  was 
able  to  cure  a  lame  man  who  had  been  a  cripple  ever  since  he 
was  born.  This  so  amazed  the  people  that  they  declared 
the  Apostles  to  be  gods  come  down  to  earth  in  human  form. 
They  even  prepared  to  offer  sacrifices  to  them.  But  when 
certain  hostile  Jews  from  Pisidian  Antioch  arrived,  having 
followed  the  Apostles  from  that  city,  they  stirred  up  a  riot, 
and  the  fickle  populace  began  to  stone  the  Apostles.  Paul 
fell,  and  they  dragged  him  outside  the  city  like  some  dead 
dog,  and  left  him  by  the  roadside,  thinking  that  he  was  dead. 
He  soon  revived,  however,  and  w^ent  on  to  the  next  city  to 
continue  the  perilous  work. 

Scourged  and  Imprisoned.  Paul  was  to  have  other  oppor- 
tunities of  proving  his  loyalty  and  courage.  At  one  time  in 
Philippi  he  and  Silas,  his  companion  on  this  trip,  found  a  poor 
demented  girl  whom  the  people  believed  to  have  the  power 
of  divination  or,  as  we  should  say,  fortune-telling.  Her 
masters  took  advantage  of  this  delusion  and  made  a  great 
deal  of  money  thereby.  Paul  was  able  to  cure  the  girl,  which 
greatly  angered  her  masters.  They  dragged  the  two  Apostles 
before  the  magistrates,  who  ordered  that  they  should  be 
flogged.  They  were  hurried  to  the  w^hipping  post,  and,  in 
spite  of  all  protests,  flogged  on  the  bare  back  until  the  blood 
ran.  Then  they  were  thrown  into  a  dungeon,  probably  a 
dark,  dismal,  underground  cave.  Their  feet  were  fastened 
in  the  stocks,  thus  increasing  the  discomfort  of  their  condition. 
But  this  did  not  seem  to  discourage  them  in  the  least.  Instead 
of  bewailing  their  lot,  they  passed  the  time  in  singing,  and 


126  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

the  other  prisoners  listened,  wondering.  Suddenly  there 
came  an  earthquake.  The  walls  swayed,  the  stocks  were 
broken,  the  doors  swung  open,  and  all  the  prisoners  might 
have  rushed  out.  The  jailer  came  running  to  the  prison  in 
great  terror,  for  if  his  prisoners  had  gone  he  would  have  lost 
his  life.  Supposing  that  of  course  they  had  escaped,  when 
he  saw  the  open  doors,  he  was  about  to  kill  himself,  when 
Paul  cried  out  of  the  darkness,  "  Do  thyself  no  harm:  for  we 
are  all  here  !"  Grateful  and  amazed,  he  came  in  and  brought 
the  Apostles  out  of  the  prison  into  his  own  home,  washed  their 
wounds,  and  tried  to  make  them  more  comfortable.  Mean- 
while they  told  him  of  Jesus  until  he  cried  out,  "  What  must 
I  do  to  be  saved?"  and  before  the  night  was  over  he  was 
baptized  as  a  convert  to  the  Christian  faith. 

The  Magistrates  Humbled.  The  next  morning  orders  came 
from  the  magistrates  to  let  the  Apostles  go.  But  Paul 
decided  that  these  men  needed  a  lesson.  They  had  been 
guilty  of  a  serious  violation  of  the  law  in  having  publicly 
beaten  two  Roman  citizens,  without  trial.  If  this  were 
reported  at  Rome,  they  would  be  very  severely  punished, 
and  they  knew  it.  So  Paul  returned  answer:  "  They  have 
beaten  us  unjustly  and  publicly,  and  we  are  Roman  citizens, 
and  do  they  now  think  to  send  us  away  privately?  Nay, 
verily!  let  them  come  themselves  and  bring  us  out."  It 
must  have  been  an  interesting  sight  to  see  these  proud  magis- 
trates coming  down  to  the  prison  with  fear  and  trembling  and 
humble  apologies  to  the  man  whom  they  had  so  mistreated. 

This  was  not  the  only  time  that  Paul's  Roman  citizenship 
served  him  well.  Some  years  later,  in  Jerusalem,  the  Jews 
stirred  up  a  riot,  claiming  that  Paul  had  desecrated  the  temple. 
The  Roman  soldiers  seized  Paul,  and  the  captain  of  the  guard 
ordered  him  to  be  scourged,  hoping  thereby  to  get  some  kind 
of  confession  from  him.  They  were  tying  him  up  to  the 
whipping-post  when  Paul  said  to  the  centurion,  "  Is  it  lawful 
for  you  to  flog  a  Roman  citizen  without  trial?"  The  officer 
at  once  sent  word  to  the  captain,  "  Have  a  care  what  you  do. 
This  man  is  a  Roman."  Post-haste  came  the  captain  to 
know  if  this  were  true.  He  could  hardly  believe  that  this 
poor  Jew  could  have  gained  so  great  a  privilege,  one  that 
had  cost  him  a  great  deal  of  money.  "  But  I  am  a  Roman 
born,"  replied  Paul.  He  was  untied  at  once,  and  the  captain 
took  good  care  to  protect  him  against  the  hate  of  the  Jews 


Twenty-ais 


Paul 


127 


who  were  plotting'  to  kill  him.  He  sent  him  to  Caesarea  for 
trial  before,  the  Roman  governor  there.  Here  he  was  held 
a  prisoner  until  finally  he  appealed  to  Caesar,  as  was  his  right 
as  a  Roman  citizen.  This  meant  that  he  must  go  to  Rome, 
and  it  was  to  mean  other  adventures.  Before  he  went, 
however,  he  was  brought  before  king  Agrippa,  and  deHvered 
that  splendid  defense  of  the  faith  which  you  may  read  in  the 
twenty-sixth  chapter  of  Acts. 

A  Stormy  Voyage.     So  it  came  to  pass  that  Paul  took  ship 
for  Rome.     He  was  in  charge  of  a  centurion  named  Julius, 


Map  for  Tracing  Paul's  Missionary  Journeys. 

an  officer  of  the  Augustan  troop.  As  the  voyage  proceeded 
he  won  the  respect  and  confidence  of  all  on  board,  and  the 
time  came  when  they  all  listened  to  him  and  owed  their  lives 
to  his  advice.  As  they  went  on  they  encountered  stormy 
and  contrary  winds.  They  were  obliged  to  run  under  the 
lee  of  the  island  of  Crete,  and  Paul,  who  was  well  acquainted 
with  these  Mediterranean  storms,  advised  that  they  put  up 
for  the  winter  where  they  were.  But  the  captain  advised 
pushing  on  for  a  better  harbor  at  the  end  of  the  island,  and 
the  centurion  took  his  advice.  A  sudden  storm  came  upon 
them  and  drove  the  ship  from  her  course.  The  waves  beat 
in  upon  them,  and  they  lightened  the  vessel  by  throwing  part 
of  the  freight  and  their  spare  tackle  overboard.     Every  one 


128  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^^^n 

gave  up  hope  of  ever  seeing  land  again  except  Paul,  who 
declared  that  the  angel  of  the  Lord  had  come  to  him  in  a 
vision,  saying  that  they  should  be  saved.  At  last,  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night,  they  heard  the  sound  of  breakers,  and 
knew  that  they  were  approaching  land.  They  let  go  anchors 
to  keep  themselves  from  being  dashed  on  the  rocks.  Now 
the  sailors  turned  cowards,  and  prepared  to  leave  the  ship 
and  all  on  board  to  their  fate.  They  lowered  the  boat,  pre- 
tending that  they  were  going  to  take  an  anchor  out  from  the 
bow.  But  Paul,  who  had  been  watching  things  closely, 
warned  the  centurion  of  their  purpose,  and  he  ordered  his 
soldiers  to  cut  away  the  boat.  Then  the  sailors  had  to  go 
back  to  their  work. 

The  next  morning,  after  throwing  all  the  remaining  cargo 
overboard,  they  hoisted  the  foresail,  cut  loose  from  the 
anchors,  and  tried  to  steer  the  ship  on  to  a  sandy  strip  of 
beach.  The  bow  caught  upon  a  bar,  however,  leaving  the 
stern  still  in  deep  water  with  furious  seas  breaking  over  it, 
and  the  ship  began  to  go  to  pieces.  Nevertheless,  all  reached 
the  shore  in  safety,  some  by  swimming,  some  on  planks,  or 
other  bits  of  wreckage  or  rigging. 

At  Rome.  Julius  reached  Rome  at  last,  and  turned  his 
prisoner  over  to  the  authorities  there.  He  must  have  given 
a  good  report  of  Paul,  for  he  was  treated  with  great  considera- 
tion. For  two  years  Paul  lived  in  his  own  hired  house,  meet- 
ing his  friends,  and  teaching  the  Christian  faith,  until  his  trial 
before  Caesar  came.  It  is  not  certain  whether  he  was  then 
condemned  and  put  to  death,  or  was  liberated  for  a  time  only 
to  be  again  arrested,  when  the  frightful  persecutions  under 
Nero  broke  out  during  which  thousands  of  Christians  lost  their 
lives.  But  in  whatever  way  he  died,  nothing  could  alter 
the  facts  of  which  he  wrote  to  Timothy:  "  I  have  fought  the 
good  fight,  I  have  finished  the  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith: 
henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  the  crown  of  righteousness." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Besides  the  story,  read  Acts  11:19 — 28:31,  and  some  of 
the  sketches  in  Mr.  Bird's  Paul  of  Tarsus,  if  possible. 

2.  What  may  Paul  have  thought  of  when  he  was  being 
stoned  at  Lystra?     Does  Acts  7: 57 — 8:1  suggest  anything.? 

3.  Trace  on  the  map  the  missionary  journeys  of  Paul  as 


TwerUv-seveH  John  Eliot  129 

narrated  in  Acts.     About  how  many  miles  did  he  travel? 
Remember  how  few  conveniences  for  travel  they  then  had. 

4.  What  did  Paul  think  about  the  hardships  he  had  to 
meet?     Read  1  Tim.  1:12-16. 

5.  Did  Paul  ever  regret  having  forfeited  his  position  of 
power  and  influence  for  the  sake  of  Christianity?  Judge 
from  Phil.  3:7,8;  4:10-13.  Philippians  was  written  when 
he  was  an  old  man  in  prison. 

NOTE-BOOK   WORK. 

6.  Give  a  brief  outline  of  the  later  events  of  Paul's  life  after  his  con- 
version, and  tell  more  fully  about  the  scene  or  incident  that  most  in- 
terests you. 

7.  Write  a  short  paragraph  giving  your  judgment  of  Paul's  charac- 
ter.    What  seem  to  you  the  most  significant  traits  in  his  character? 

MEMORY   WORK. 

-    Learn  the  great  classic  of  Paul's  writings (1  Cor.  ch.  13),  in  which  he 
gives  the  motive  that  inspired  his  life. 


Lesson  27.     JOHN  ELIOT.     First  Preacher  to  the  Indians. 

Bom  1604;  died  May  20,  1690. 

"  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons:  but  in  every  nation  he  that 
feareth  him,  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  acceptable  to  him."  Acts 
10:34,  35. 

*'  Ye  whose  hearts  are  fresh  and  simple. 
Who  have  faith  in  God  and  Nature, 
Who  believe  that  in  all  ages 
Every  human  heart  is  human, 
That  in  even  savage  bosoms 
There  are  longings,  yearnings,  strivings 
For  the  good  they  comprehend  not, 
That  the  feeble  hands  and  helpless. 
Groping  blindly  in  the  darkness, 
Touch  God's  right  hand  in  that  darkness 
And  are  lifted  up  and  strengthened:  — 
Listen  to  this  simple  story," 

So  Longfellow  sang  in  his  Song  of  Hiawatha,  that  we  all 
come  to  love  as  children.  And  this  is  the  story  of  a  man  who 
had  such  faith  in  God  and  Nature  and  in  human  hearts  that 
he  was  willing  to  take  a  great  deal  of  pains,  and  endure  a  great 


130  Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson 


deal  of  hardship,  in  order  to  teach  men  more  about  the  things 
for  which  they  were  longing  and  striving  without  knowing 
very  clearly  what  they  wanted. 

A  Country  Pastor.  A  good  many  years  ago,  while  the  New 
England  colonies  yet  belonged  to  England,  John  Eliot  came 
from  England  to  America  to  find  some  place  where  he  could 
worship  according  to  his  conscience, 
and  teach  what  he  thought  was  true. 
He  became  pastor  of  a  little  church 
in  Roxbury,  Mass.,  now  a  part  of 
Boston.  He  was  an  earnest,  hard- 
working minister,  noted  for  his  great 
generosity,  his  peace-loving  spirit, 
and  his  devotion  to  his  people.  He 
was  so  generous  that  he  sometimes 
gave  away  what  he  really  needed  for 
his  family  and  himself.  Once  the 
treasurer  of  the  church  gave  him  his 
John  Eliot  salary    tied    up    in    a    handkerchief. 

From  a  print,  copyrighted  by  Foster    KnOwing  hoW  gCnCrOUS  thc   gOOd  man 

Brothere,  Boston.  ^^^^  ^^^  trcasurcr  tied  the  money  up 

very  tightly,  thinking  that  thus  Mr.  Eliot  would  be  sure  to  get 
home  with  his  salary.  But  on  the  way  the  minister  called 
upon  a  widow  whom  he  found  in  destitute  circumstances.  He 
at  once  took  out  the  handkerchief  and  began  pulling  at  the 
knots.  They  would  not  come  untied,  whereupon  he  handed 
the  whole  thing  over  to  her,  saying,  "  Here,  take  it,  the  Lord 
evidently  intends  that  you  should  have  it  all." 

Mr.  Eliot's  love  of  peace  was  quite  as  great  as  his  generosity. 
Once  he  was  asked  to  meet  with  some  other  ministers  to  talk 
over  a  matter  about  which  there  had  been  a  dispute.  He 
came  into  the  room,  and  settled  the  whole  quarrel  by  picking 
up  the  package  containing  all  the  correspondence  about  the 
dispute  and  throwing  it  into  the  fire.  He  was  a  man  who  had 
a  clear  conscience.  A  friend  once  spoke  to  him  about  heaven, 
and  Eliot  said,  "  Were  I  sure  to  go  to  heaven  to-morrow,  I 
would  do  as  I  do  to-day.'* 

Indian  Neighbors.  On  the  hills  about  Roxbury  there  lived 
a  great  many  Indians.  Much  of  the  land  still  belonged  to 
them,  though  the  whites  had  obtained  possession  of  large 
parts  of  it.     There  were  five  great  nations,  or  sachemships; 


TwerUv-aevm  John  Eliot  131 

Pequots,  Narragansetts,  Pawkunnawkuts,  Pawtucketts,  and 
Massachusetts.  Many  of  our  names  of  places  are  derived 
from  these  Indians,  as  we  see.  These  Indians  were  wild, 
fierce  in  warfare,  ignorant  and  untaught.  The  men  were 
idle,  for  the  most  part,  while  the  women  toiled  hard.  They 
painted  their  bodies  with  bright  colors,  and  adorned  them- 
selves with  feathers  and  shells  and  the  teeth  and  claws  of 
animals.  When  ill  they  called  their  medicine  men,  who 
performed  various  incantations  and  rites  to  drive  away  the 
evil  spirits.  They  believed  in  a  Good  Spirit,  "  Tantum," 
and  many  evil  spirits,  "  Squantum."  These  evil  spirits 
lived  in  the  streams,  the  trees,  the  flames  of  the  camp-fire 
and  almost  every  object  of  nature.  We  can  imagine  how  full 
of  fear  life  must  have  been  to  one  who  imagined  an  evil  spirit 
seeking  to  possess  him  at  any  time.  And  yet  these  Indians 
had  many  noble  traits  of  character.  They  were  dignified, 
quick-witted,  keen  and  alert.  They  have  been  called  the 
"  natural-born  gentlemen  of  America." 

Eliot  Visits  the  Indians.  John  Eliot  made  up  his  mind  that 
he  ought  to  do  something  for  these  ignorant  savages.  But 
first  of  all  he  had  to  learn  their  language.  More  than  that, 
they  must  be  taught  to  write  their  own  language,  for  there 
was  no  alphabet,  no  grammar.  It  was  a  spoken  language 
only.  That  would  seem  like  a  hard  piece  of  work,  but  what 
do  you  think  of  attempting  such  a  task  with  a  language  that 
had  words  in  it  like  **  Weetappesittukgnssunnookwehtunk- 
quoh,"  or  "  Kummogokdonattoottammoctiteaongannun- 
nonash,"  the  nearest  he  could  find  for  catechism?  When 
his  New  Testament  was  finally  translated  it  w^as  called 
"  Wusku  Wuttustamentum  Nut  Lordumnum  Jesus  Christ 
Nuppoquohwussuaeneunun."  How  would  you  like  to  study 
that  at  school?  EHot  simply  says,  "  I  found  out  a  ready- 
witted  man  who  pretty  well  understood  our  language:  him 
I  made  my  interpreter.  By  his  help  I  translated  the  Com- 
mandments, the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  many  texts  of  Scripture, 
I  diligently  marked  the  difference  of  their  language  and  ours, 
and  when  I  found  the  way  of  them,  I  would  pursue  a  word, 
a  noun,  a  verb,  through  all  the  variations  I  could  think  of." 
The  secret  of  his  success  may  be  found  in  the  words  that 
he  wrote  at  the  end  of  his  Indian  grammar:  "  Prayers  and 
ppins,  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  will  do  anything." 


132  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^ 

Waban  the  Chief.  Eliot  finally  learned  enough  of  the 
language  to  begin  preaching,  and  met  the  Indians  at  the 
wigwam  of  Waban,  one  of  the  chiefs.  His  text  was  Ezek. 
37:9:  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah:  Come  from  the  four 
winds,  O  breath  [or  "wind"],  and  breathe  upon  these  slain,  that 
they  may  live."  Now  Waban  means  wind,  and  it  seemed  to 
this  chief  that  Mr.  Eliot  was  speaking  directly  to  him.  He  was 
greatly  impressed,  and  at  night  sat  long  before  the  camp-fire, 
talking  with  his  people  about  what  they  had  heard.  They 
asked  Mr.  Eliot  many  questions:  "  What  makes  the  thun- 
der?" "  What  makes  the  tide  rise  and  fall?"  "  What 
makes  the  wind  blow?"  "  Does  God  understand  the  Indian 
language?"  '*  Can  He  hear  us  when  we  pray?"  **  Is  it  too 
late  for  the  Indian  to  find  God?"  One  chief  arose  with  quiet 
dignity  and  said,  "  I  have  all  my  days  been  paddHng  in  an  old 
canoe,  and  now  you  exhort  me  to  leave  my  old  canoe,  which 
I  have  been  hitherto  unwilling  to  do ;  but  now,  I  yield  myself 
to  your  advice,  and  enter  into  a  new  canoe,  and  do  engage 
myself  to  pray  henceforth  to  God  alone." 

Hardships  and  Perils.  Mr.  Eliot  often  had  to  travel  hard 
roads  through  the  forests.  He  once  wrote:  "  I  have  not 
been  dry  night  nor  day  from  the  third  day  of  the  week  unto 
the  sixth,  but  so  traveled,  and  at  night  pulled  off  my  boots, 
wrung  my  stockings,  and  on  with  them  again  and  so  continue. 
But  God  steps  in  and  helps.  I  think  of  2  Tim.  2:3."  Some 
of  the  chiefs  were  hostile.  The  powwows,  or  medicine  men, 
opposed  him,  and  his  life  was  often  in  peril.  Some  of  the 
whites  misunderstood  him  and  suspected  him  of  unworthy 
motives,  and  this  was  even  harder  to  bear.  But  he  persevered 
until  he  saw  many  Indians  Christianized,  and  a  number  of 
them  serving  as  preachers.  Villages  were  established  for 
the  **  praying  Indians."  The  women  learned  to  spin,  and  to 
make  baskets  and  blankets,  etc.  The  men  learned  to  farm 
and  build  fences  and  raise  crops.  They  made  laws  for  them- 
selves, some  of  which  are  more  strict  than  we  ourselves  make. 
For  example :  "  Whosoever  shall  steale  anything  from  another 
shall  restore  fourfold."  Some  laws  show  their  particular 
temptations,  as,  **  Whosoever  beats  his  wife  shall  pay  twenty 
shillings." 

The  Indian  Wars.  There  came  a  time  of  setback  and  harm 
to  this  work  when  the  Indians  and  the  whites  went  to  war 


TwerUyseven  J^hn  Eliot  133 

with  each  other.  There  was  wrong  on  both  sides.  The 
Indians  were  fierce  and  treacherous;  the  whites  were  often 
as  fierce  and  unjust.  But  the  "  praying  Indians  "  had  a 
hard  time  of  it  during  these  wars.  The  other  Indians  hated 
them  and  called  them  traitors  ;  the  whites  distrusted  and  often 
abused  them.  Mr.  Eliot  came  in  for  his  share  of  the  distrust 
and  abuse,  but  worst  of  all  for  him  was  it  to  see  his  friends 
oppressed  and  driven  back  into  savagery  when  he  had  worked 
so  hard  to  bring  them  out.  But  his  work  was  never  entirely 
undone.  The  Indians  have  been  driven  back  farther  and 
farther  as  the  white  men  have  advanced,  until  now  in  large 
portions  of  the  country  all  that  remains  to  remind  us  of 
their  former  ownership  is  Indian  names  like  Massachusetts, 
and  Mississippi  and  Minnesota  and  the  Hke.  The  histor}^  of 
our  dealings  with  them  has  much  in  it  of  which  the  white 
man,  with  his  greater  knowledge  and  privilege,  may  well 
be  ashamed,  but  we  have  improved  somewhat,  and  societies 
like  the  American  Missionary  Association  and  others  have 
tried  to  carry  on  the  work  that  John  Eliot  began,  educating 
and  Christianizing  these  red  men  of  America.  Many  of  them 
are  at  Hampton  Institute,  the  school  founded  by  General 
Armstrong,  and  others  are  at  Carlisle  and  other  schools  in 
the  west.  And  they  are  all  God's  children.  As  Longfellow 
wrote : 

"  Gitchie  Manito,  the  mighty, 
The  creator  of  the  nations, 
Looked  upon  them  with  compassion, 
With  paternal  love  and  pity." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story  and  anything  else  that  you  can 
find  about  John  EHot.  Refresh  your  mind  on  what  you  have 
learned  in  United  States  history  about  the  early  colonial 
days  in  and  around  Boston,  and  about  the  Indians. 

2.  What  were  the  chief  traits  in  Eliot's  character? 

3.  Name  some  illustrations  of  each  of  these  traits  of  charac- 
ter. 

4.  What  led  him  to  undertake  the  work  among  the  Indians  ? 

5.  What  difficulties  had  to  be  overcome  ? 

6.  What  was  the  result  of  his  work? 

7.  What  is  being  done  for  the  Indians  to-day  in  the  way 
pf  education  and  missionary  work? 


134  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^"«<w 

8.  What  is  being  done  by  your  own  church  in  this  line  of 
work  ? 

9.  Where  do  most  of  the  North  American  Indians  live 
to-day  ? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

10.  Write  a  short  story  about  John  Eliot,  telling  the  things  that 
you  think  show  most  clearly  the  kind  of  man  he  was,  and  the  work  he 
did. 

1 1 .  Make  a  list  of  the  things  that  are  now  being  done  for  the  Indians 
of  America,  and  mark  with  a  cross  any  of  these  in  which  you  think  you 
can  help. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  motto  at  the  head  of  this  lesson,  Acts  10:34,  35. 


Lesson  28.     WILLIAM  CAREY.     The  Shoemaker  who  Be- 
came "  The  Father  and  Founder  of  Modern  Missions." 

Born  Aug.  17.  1761;  died  June  9,  1834. 

"  Expect  great  things  from  God; 
Attempt  great  things  for  God.'* 

An  Observant  Lad.  If  you  had  been  Hving  when  the 
Declaration  of  Independence  was  being  thought  of  in  our 
country,  and  had  visited  a  certain  room  in  the  English  village 
of  Paulerspury,  you  might  have  thought  you  had  come  into 
a  naturalist's  museum.  You  would  have  seen  insects  stuck 
up  in  every  corner,  birds  hopping  about  in  cages,  flowers  and 
plants  in  the  windows,  and  signs  on  every  side  that  the  owner 
of  this  room  loved  all  the  wild  things  of  field  and  forest.  This 
was  the  room  of  William  Carey,  the  son  of  a  poor  weaver  in  the 
village  who  had  become  schoolmaster  and  parish  clerk.  The 
family  lived  in  the  schoolhouse,  and  William  had  his  own 
room,  which  he  filled  with  the  spoils  of  many  a  long  tramp 
and  risky  climb  amongst  the  lanes  of  Whittlebury  Forest. 
Few  boys  have  ever  lived  who  were  more  hungry  for  knowl- 
edge. He  loved  books  that  told  about  nature,  and  books 
that  helped  him  in  the  study  of  language.  When  he  was 
twelve  years  old  he  had  mastered  the  short  Latin  grammar, 
having  memorized  nearly  the  whole  book.  Later  in  life  he 
learned  Hebrew  by  borrowing  books  and  asking  questions 


Twenty-eight  William  Carey  135 

of  neighboring  ministers.  He  found  a  Dutch  book  in  an  old 
woman's  cottage,  and  mastered  that  language  so  that  he 
could  translate  from  it  into  Enghsh  for  older  scholars.  He 
learned  French  in  three  weeks  from  a  French  theological 
work. 

Hard  Work  and  Good  Grit.  Young  Carey  had,  of  course, 
a  remarkable  gift  for  language,  but  he  had  something  better 
still — the  ability  and  willingness  to  work  hard,  and  to  persist. 
He  never  abandoned  anything  that  he  seriously  undertook. 
Once,  in  attempting  to  climb  a  tall  tree,  he  had  a  bad  tumble 
and  many  bruises.  The  very  first  thing  he  did  after  the 
soreness  was  better  was  to  go  at  that  tree  again.  Difficulties 
seemed  simply  to  spur  him  on  to  harder  work;  he  never 
allowed  them  to  discourage  him.  He  showed  the  same  spirit 
in  games  and  sports,  of  which  he  was  very  fond,  and  was 
liked  by  all  the  boys  for  his  good  nature  and  his  grit.  At 
seventeen  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  shoemaking  trade, 
an  occupation  which  is  remarkable  for  the  large  number  of 
great  and  good  men  that  have  w^orked  at  it,  and  William 
Carey  was  not  one  of  the  least  of  these. 

Struggles  with  Temptation.  As  a  boy,  Carey  was  not  a  saint. 
He  tells  of  his  struggle  'vith  the  sin  of  lying,  to  which  he  wa.*^ 
rather  strongly  addicted.  On  one  occasion  when  his  master 
allowed  him  to  go  out  to  collect  Christmas  boxes,  or  donation*;', 
from  the  tradesmen  with  whom  the  master  had  dealings, 
an  iron  merchant  gave  him  a  shilling.  After  he  had  collected 
a  few  shilHngs  he  went  to  buy  some  articles  for  himself,  and 
found  that  this  shilling  was  counterfeit.  He  paid  for  his 
purchases  with  a  shilling  of  his  master's,  and  then  found  that 
he  had  not  enough  money  left  to  replace  it.  Years  afterwards, 
describing  his  feelings,  he  says: 

"  I  expected  severe  reproaches  from  my  master,  and  there- 
fore came  to  the  resolution  to  declare  strenuously  that  the 
bad  money  was  his.  I  well  remember  the  struggles  of  mind 
which  I  had  on  this  occasion,  and  that  I  made  this  deliberate 
sin  a  matter  of  prayer  to  God  as  I  passed  over  the  fields 
towards  home  !  I  there  promised  that,  if  God  would  get  me 
clearly  over  this,  or,  in  other  words,  help  me  through  with  the 
theft,  I  would  certainly  for  the  future  leave  off  all  evil  prac- 
tices; but  this  theft  and  consequent  lying  appeared  to  me 
se  necessary,   that  they  could  r-^-t  be  dr sensed  with.     A 


136 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson 


gracious  God  did  not  get  me  safe  through.  My  master  sent 
the  other  apprentice  to  investigate  the  matter.  The  iron- 
monger acknowledged  the  giving  me  the  shilHng,  and  I  was 
therefore  exposed  to  shame,  reproach,  and  inward  remorse, 
which  preyed  upon  my  mind  for  a  considerable  time.  I  at 
this  time  sought  the  Lord,  perhaps  much  more  earnestly 
than  ever,  but  with  shame  and  fear.  I  was  quite  ashamed  to 
go  out,  and  never,  till  I  was  assured  that  my  conduct  was  not 
spread  over  the  town,  did  I  attend  a  place  of  worship." 

He  was  also  rather  given  to  pride  and  to  despising  the  Dis- 
senters, or  those  who  did  not  worship  according  to  the  customs 
of  the  Established  Church,  to  which  he  belonged.  But  he 
himself  became  a  Dissenter  later  on,  and  was  completely 
cured  of  the  false  pride  that  had  marked  his  earlier  years. 

Becomes   a   Preacher.     After   William    Carey   had    really 

become  interested  in  personal  re- 
ligion he  frequently  used  to  preach 
when  the  opportunity  was  open, 
and  before  long  he  was  asked  to 
preach  regularly  for  the  church  in 
his  native  village.  He  finally  be- 
came a  regular  minister,  although 
he  was  so  desperately  poor  that  he 
had  to  eke  out  his  scanty  salary  by 
making  shoes.  He  also  tried  keep- 
\  ing  school  as  another  means  of  earn- 
ing money.  These  were  years  of 
extreme  hardship,  such  as  would 
surely  have  discouraged  any  one  but 
a  man  who  had  been  accustomed 
to  fight  his  battles  through  as  William  Carey  did  when  a  boy. 

The  Missionary  Idea.  About  this  time  Carey  read  with 
great  interest  Captain  Cook's  Voyages  of  Discovery.  His 
imagination  was  fired  with  the  thought  of  the  multitudes  of 
people  in  these  far-off  lands,  and  his  sympathy  for  their 
ignorance  and  misery  was  aroused.  The  idea  of  foreign  mis- 
sions took  increasingly  strong  hold  upon  him.  At  that  time 
there  not  only  was  no  foreign  missionary  society  organized, 
but  many  in  the  church  even  thought  that  the  heathen  had 
no  right  to  the  Gospel.  But  William  Carey  felt  about  this 
just  as  he  had  about  climbing  trees,  and  had  no  idea  of  being 


William  Carey. 


Twenty-eight  W'illiam  Carey  137 

discouraged  or  turned  aside  from  his  purpose.  He  read  all 
he  could  find  about  the  peoples  of  foreign  lands,  and  learned 
their  needs.  A  friend  found  on  the  wall  of  his  cobbler's 
shop  a  great  map,  made  by  pasting  several  sheets  of  paper 
together.  On  this  Carey  had  drawn  in  ink  a  place  for  each 
foreign  nation,  and  in  that  space  had  written  all  the  facts  he 
had  gathered  about  that  people.  He  urged  the  cause  of 
missions  at  every  possible  opportunity,  at  ministers'  meetings 
and  other  public  gatherings,  and  finally  in  1792,  through  his 
intense  zeal,  "  The  Particular  Baptist  Society  for  Propagating 
the  Gospel  among  the  Heathen,"  now  the  "  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society,"  was  formed,  and  took  for  its  motto  the 
words  at  the  beginning  of  our  lesson. 

The  First  Missionaries.  A  certain  Mr.  Thomas,  who  had 
been  in  India  and  had  done  missionary  work  there,  was  then 
in  England  trying  to  raise  funds  for  a  mission  in  Bengal. 
The  Society  agreed  to  send  him  out  and  to  find  a  companion 
for  him.  Carey  at  once  volunteered  to  go  with  him.  India 
seemed  to  them  like  some  great  mine,  deep  and  dark,  and 
Carey  said,  "  I  will  venture  to  go  down,  if  you  at  home  will 
hold  the  ropes."  The  first  difficulty  to  be  met  was  that  of 
getting  permission  from  the  British  government  to  go  to 
India  and  settle  there  as  missionaries.  A  permit  could  not 
be  obtained,  so  they  went  in  a  Danish  ship.  Then  followed 
more  difficulties,  one  after  another.  They  were  terribly  poor, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  find  some  spot  where  they  could 
settle,  cultivate  the  ground  and  support  themselves.  This 
they  finally  discovered  in  the  jungle-lands,  a  spot  infested 
by  tigers,  but  fertile.  Carey's  wife  was  ill  and  half-demented ; 
Mr.  Thomas  was  lacking  in  tact  and  good  judgment,  and 
his  mistakes  cost  them  friends  and  supporters ;  there  were 
fever  and  hunger  and  hard  work  and  all  kinds  of  difficulties 
to*meet,  but  they  were  all  so  many  more  trees  for  Carey  to 
climb.  He  finally  obtained  a  position  in  an  indigo  factory, 
which  for  a  time  solved  their  financial  difficulties. 

A  Land  of  Darkness.  In  the  meantime  Carey  found  that 
he  had  not  overstated  India's  desperate  need  of  the  Gospel. 
The  religion  was  one  of  gross  idolatry,  mixed  with  many 
frightful  superstitions.  The  Hindu  mothers  were  taught 
to  sacrifice  their  firstborn  children  by  drowning  them  in  the 
sacred  rivers,  throwins:  them  to  the  sharks  or  crocodiles,  or 


138  Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson 


hanging  them  upon  the  trees  to  be  eaten  by  white  ants.  Girls 
were  given  in  marriage  while  still  children,  and  if  the  husband 
died  the  widow  was  despised  and  doomed  to  a  life  of  misery. 
For  this  reason  many  widows  preferred  to  be  burned  alive 
with  the  bodies  of  their  dead  husbands,  and  Carey  saw  this 
done.  There  were  many  heathen  shrines  to  which  crowds  of 
natives  made  pilgrimages,  and  thousands  died  every  year 
from  disease  and  exposure.  The  people  were  poor  and  igno- 
rant, and  did  not  know  how  to  support  themselves. 

Great  Achievements.  Carey  threw  himself  with  his  usual 
energy  into  the  task  of  meeting  2l1  this  misery  and  sorrow. 
He  lived  forty-three  years  in  India,  and  during  that  time 
built  up  a  great  mission  with  schools,  a  college  of  high  rank, 
a  printing  office,  a  paper  manufactory,  and  many  other 
activities.  He  became  a  professor  in  the  government  college 
at  Fort  William,  and  trained  many  young  men  who  afterward 
helped  to  reform  the  government,  just  as  Verbeck  did  later 
in  Japan.  He  became  famous  as  a  botanist,  and  established 
a  wonderful  botanical  garden  at  Serampore.  He  taught  the 
natives  better  methods  of  agriculture,  introduced  machinery, 
and  studied  their  languages  and  reduced  them  to  a  system; 
in  fact,  he  did  a  little  of  almost  everything,  and  did  it  all  well. 
One  of  his  greatest  feats  was  the  translation  of  the  Bible  into 
the  native  languages.  Thirty-six  different  translations,  in 
whole  or  in  part,  were  made  by  this  untiring  worker,  and  it 
should  be  remembered  that  in  most  cases  he  had  first  to  write 
out  a  grammar  of  the  language  before  he  could  work  in  it. 
Most  of  these  languages  were  not  printed,  few  of  them  even 
written.  Many  of  them  did  not  have  words  to  represent  the 
ideas  which  the  Bible  teaches.  Special  type  had  to  be  cast 
for  each  new  language,  paper  had  to  be  made  that  the  insects 
would  not  eat,  and  then,  when  all  this  work  was  at  its  height, 
and  the  results  of  years  of  patient  labor  were  about  to  be 
realized,  there  came  a  fire  which  destroyed  the  mission  build- 
ing, the  printing  office,  the  precious  manuscripts,  type,  and 
large  stores  of  paper.  The  labor  of  years  vanished  in  a  night. 
What  would  you  have  done  in  the  face  of  such  misfortune? 
William  Carey  looked  over  the  ruin,  prayed  to  God  for  faith, 
and  began  to  climb  the  tree  again. 

It  is  sad  to  think  that  his  heroism  and  devotion  were  not 
always  appreciated,  and  that  he  had  to  contend,  not  only  with 
the  difficulties  of  the  work  itself,  but  with  suspicion  and  opposi- 


Twerdij-ef.Qhi  William  Carey  139 

tion  on  the  part  of  the  government  of  England,  and  many 
even  in  the  missionary  society  itself.  But  he  gave  a  splendid 
example  of  the  way  a  Christian  should  conduct  himself  under 
such  circumstances,  always  patient,  self-controlled,  firm  in 
his  insistence  on  the  right,  and  never  giving  up.  He  died 
honored  and  loved  by  all,  and  held  in  grateful  memory  by 
those  whose  lives  he  made  more  noble.  But,  best  of  all,  his 
work  has  resulted  in  the  founding  of  many  missionary  societies 
now  at  work  all  over  the  world  trying  to  help  answer  the 
prayer  that  J  esus  taught  us : 

•'  THY  KINGDOM  COME. 
THY  WILL  BE  DONE. 
ON  EARTH,  AS  IT  IS  IN  HEAVEN." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  stor}^  carefully  and  find  out  anything  else  you 
can  about  Carey  and  his  work.  A  short  life  of  Carey  by  J.  B. 
Myers  will  help  you. 

2.  How  did  the  interests  and  pursuits  of  Carey's  boyhood 
help  to  fit  him  for  his  life-work? 

3.  What  things  did  Carey  accomplish  in  his  work  for  India  ? 

4.  Name  some  of  the  permanent  results  of  his  life-work  in 
the  world. 

5.  Find  out  what  you  can  about  India  to-day,  and  the  need 
for  continued  missionary  work  there. 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

6.  Write  a  short  story  of  Carey's  life. 

7.  Make  a  list  of  the  foreign  lands  in  which  your  denominational 
missionary  society  is  working.  Mark  with  a  cross  any  of  these  in 
which  your  own  local  church  is  specially  interested.  If  your  church 
supports  a  foreign  missionary,  write  down  his  name,  the  field  where 
he  works,  and  the  amount  that  your  church  gives  for  his  support. 

8.  It  will  be  a  good  exercise  for  the  class  to  get  a  large  outline  map 
of  the  world  and  mark  on  it  the  places  where  their  denomination  has 
mission  stations,  with  some  fact  of  interest  about  each,  as  for  example, 
the  number  of  missionaries  there,  the  number  of  native  Christians,  etc. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  hymn  From  Greenland' s  Icy  Alountaitts,  which  will  be 
found  in  almost  every  church  hymnal. 


140  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^«««^ 

Lesson    29.    ADONIRAM    JUDSON.    Father    of    American 
Foreign  Missionary  Enterprise. 

Born  Aug.  9,  1788;  died  April  12,  1850. 

"  These  are  they  that  come  out  of  the  great  tribulation.**  Rev. 
7:14. 

A  Heroic  Couple.  In  the  summer  of  1813  a  man  and  his 
wife  landed  on  the  shores  of  India,  feeling  about  as  lonely  as 
two  people  very  well  could.  They  had  left  America  with 
several  others,  as  missionaries  of  the  first  American  mission- 
ary society.  They  landed  with  no  society  behind  them, 
thrown  upon  their  own  resources  in  a  foreign  land,  among  a 
strange  people  and  facing  tremendous  obstacles.  They  were 
Adoniram  Judson  and  his  wife,  Ann  Hasseltine  Judson,  the 
story  of  whose  adventures  is  as  full  of  heroism  as  any  in  the 
history  of  the  world. 

A  Promising  Youth.  Adoniram  Judson 's  father  was  always 
convinced  that  his  son  would  be  a  great  man.  The  boy 
learned  to  read  when  he  was  only  three  years  old.  When  he 
was  seven  he  was  told  that  the  earth  was  round  and  moved 
about  the  sun.  The  question  as  to  whether  the  sun  moved 
at  all  occurred  to  him.  Instead  of  asking  any  one,  he  wanted 
to  find  out  for  himself,  if  possible.  His  father  found  him 
some  time  later  lying  flat  on  his  back  in  a  field,  his  hat  over 
his  face  with  a  hole  cut  through  the  crown  through  which  he 
was  observing  the  sun.  His  eyes  were  swollen  and  half 
blinded  with  the  heat  and  intense  light,  but  he  told  his  sister 
that  he  had  solved  the  problem.  Just  how  he  did  it,  she 
never  knew. 

One  day  he  found  a  riddle  in  a  newspaper.  The  editor  had 
challenged  any  one  to  find  the  answer.  Adoniram  went  at 
it  and  never  stopped  until  he  had  found  the  answer.  His 
written  answer  fell  into  his  father's  hands,  and  he  bought 
the  boy  what  he  called  a  book  of  riddles.  Adoniram  found 
that  it  was  an  arithmetic.  He  went  at  these  riddles  with 
energy  and  soon  had  solved  them  all.  He  entered  Brown 
University  a  year  in  advance  of  his  class,  graduated  with 
highest  honors,  and  then  set  out  to  "  see  life."  For  a  time 
he  was  rather  reckless,  but  was  sobered  by  the  sudden  dealh 
of  a  college  friend,  and  soon  after  entered  Andover  Theological 
Seminary,  to  study  for  the  ministry. 


Twemy-ntn* 


Adoniram  Judson 


141 


Decides  to  be  a  Missionary.  Becoming  impressed  with  the 
great  need  of  the  people  in  heathen  lands,  he  decided  to  give 
himself  to  the  missionary  service.  There  were  four  other 
young  men  in  Andover  who  had  come  from  WilHams  College. 
They  had  organized  a  missionary  society  there,  and  used  to 
meet  at  night  under  a  haystack.  These  young  men  made 
known  their  desire  to  go  as  missionaries,  and  this  led  to  the 
formation  of  the  first  foreign  missionary  society  in  America, 
the  American  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners for  Foreign  Missions.  Jud- 
son was  sent  to  England  to  see  if 
the  London  Missionary  Society 
would  co-operate  in  the  support  of 
this  work.  The  vessel  on  which 
he  sailed  was  captured  by  a  French 
privateer,  and  he  was  taken  to 
Bayonne,  France.  He  could  not 
speak  French,  and  so  could  not 
explain  that  he  was  an  American 
and  not  English,  but  as  he  was 
marched  through  the  streets  to 
prison  he  kept  shouting  loudly  in 

EngHsh  and  finally  attracted '  the  Adoniram  judson. 

attention  of  an  American  gentleman,  who  afterward  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  him  set  free.  Thus  Judson  had  a  shght 
sample  of  what  he  might  expect  in  his  foreign  missionary 
experience,  but  this  did  not  frighten  him  in  the  least  or 
deter  him  from  his  purpose.  The  thing  that  did  sometimes 
trouble  him  was  the  ambition  to  be  great  that  his  own  father 
had  encouraged.  But  it  occurred  to  him  one  day  that 
genuine  goodness  was  after  all  the  best  kind  of  greatness,  and 
this  thought  never  left  him. 

A  Change  of  Views.  Only  a  few  days  before  setting  sail  for 
India,  Mr.  Judson  was  married  to  Ann  Hasseltine  of  Bradford, 
Mass.  On  the  long  voyage  they  studied  carefully  the  question 
of  baptism.  They  were  to  meet  Dr.  Carey  and  other  Baptist 
missionaries,  and  wished  to  be  prepared  to  defend  their  own 
views,  should  argument  arise.  Much  to  their  surprise,  they 
became  convinced  that  the  Baptist  view  was  correct.  This 
put  them  in  a  very  embarrassing  position.  They  felt  that 
they  could  no  longer  conscientiously  obey  their  instructions 


142  Heroes  of  the  Faith  Lesson 

to  baptize  the  infant  children  of  believing  parents,  yet  to 
refuse  and  to  separate  themselves  from  the  Society  that  had 
sent  them  out  would  subject  them  to  much  criticism  and 
would  leave  them  without  support  in  a  strange  land.  How- 
ever, there  was  but  one  honorable  thing  to  do,  and  they  did 
it.  Mr.  Judson  resigned  his  position  as  a  missionary  of  the 
American  Board  and  trusted  God  for  the  result.  The  first 
great  result  was  the  formation  of  the  Baptist  Foreign  Mission 
Society,  and  the  sending  out  of  more  missionaries. 

More  Troubles.  More  difficulties  awaited  them  in  India. 
British  India  was  still  under  the  control  of  the  East  India 
Company  which  opposed  the  coming  of  missionaries.  The 
Judsons  were  forced  to  leave  British  territory,  and  they 
finally  settled  in  Burma,  which  was  then  independent  and 
ruled  by  a  despotic  and  cruel  king.  Their  journey  thither 
was  made  in  a  small,  dirty  and  unseaworthy  vessel.  Mrs. 
Judson  was  seriously  ill,  and  the  weather  was  so  stormy  that 
it  was  impossible  to  give  her  the  quiet  that  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  her  recovery.  The  captain  finally  told  them 
that  they  were  being  driven  upon  the  Andaman  Islands, 
and  that  the  only  way  of  escape  was  through  a  passage  so 
narrow  and  dangerous  as  to  make  their  chances  very  poor. 
But  they  entered  the  passage  in  safety  and  immediately 
found  smooth  water  and  the  quiet  that  saved  Mrs.  Judson's 
life. 

The  Land  of  Burma.  The  missionaries  now  found  them- 
selves in  a  land  four  times  as  large  as  New  England,  a  fertile 
country,  with  beautiful  rivers  and  forests  and  mountains. 
But  the  people  were  poor,  ignorant,  and  oppressed.  Their 
king  was  an  absolute  monarch  who  ruled  according  to  his 
slightest  whim.  He  had  counsellors,  but  appointed  them 
himself,  and,  if  they  ventured  to  cross  him  in  argument,  he 
was  quite  likely  to  silence  them  by  picking  up  a  spear  and 
trying  to  kill  them.  Sometimes  he  succeeded.  The  land 
was  full  of  wild  animals.  Tigers  often  entered  the  very 
streets  of  the  villages  and  carried  people  off.  Children  had 
to  be  careful  in  their  play  lest  they  run  on  to  a  poisonous 
centipede  or  deadly  cobra  hidden  in  the  bushes  of  the  garden. 
The  Judsons  once  occupied  a  house  that  Mrs.  Judson  nick- 
named "  Bat  Castle,"  on  account  of  the  swarms  of  bats  that 
inhabited  it,  the  noise  of  whose  wings  was  like  the  sound  of 


TwerUynine  Adonirani  Jiidson  143 

thunder  at  night.  The  government  was  oppressive,  punish- 
ments and  the  treatment  of  prisoners  very  cruel,  as  Mr.  Jud- 
son  later  discovered.  The  people  were  Buddhists,  and  their 
religion  was  mmgled  with  various  foolish  and  degrading 
superstitions.  They  believed  that  the  souls  of  men  after 
death  entered  into  the  bodies  of  animals.  One  old  woman 
whose  son  had  died  thought  that  she  recognized  his  voice  in 
the  bleating  of  a  calf.  She  threw  her  arms  about  the  animal, 
bought  it  and  cherished  ^it  most  tenderly  until  its  death. 
Life  was  a  dreary  round  of  existence  to  them,  and  the  best 
idea  they  had  of  heaven  was  that  of  Nirvana,  by  which  they 
meant  an  end  of  all  life.  The  best  thing  they  could  hope  for 
was  that  the  soul  as  well  as  the  body  should  pass  out  of  exist- 
ence so  that  they  could  not  take  the  form  of  some  animal. 

Life  and  Work  in  Rangoon.  The  Judsons  settled  at  Ran- 
goon, which,  as  you  may  see  on  a  map  of  Burma,  is  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Irrawaddy  River,  a  place  where  many  people 
pass  back  and  forth  in  trade-and  commerce.  The  work  before 
them  would  have  seemed  almost  hopeless  to  any  one  of  less 
courage  and  faith,  but  they  went  at  it  bravely.  The  first 
task  w^as  to  learn  the  language,  then  to  translate  tracts  and 
passages  of  Scripture  and  books  of  the  Cible.  .  A  chapel  was 
built,  and  here  Mr.  Judson  used  to  sit  on  the  veranda  reading 
in  a  loud  voice  from  the  Bible  until  some  one  was  sufficiently 
attracted  to  stop  and  talk  with  him.  Sometimes  a  little 
group  would  gather,  and  he  would  preach  to  them.  Six  years 
of  such  work  went  on  before  a  single  convert  was  secured,  so 
far  as  they  knew.  Then  a  few  more  were  gained,  and  hope 
began  to  rise.  Then  the  governor  threatened  persecution, 
and  so  great  Avas  the.  fear  of  the  natives  that  they  dared  not 
come  to  the  chapel  for  instruction.  Every  one  of  them  knew 
that  to  accept  the  Christian  religion  meant  to  run  the  risk  of 
losing  all  their  property  and  being  tortured  to  death  in  the 
most  dreadful  manner.  Still  Mr.  Judson  did  not  lose  his 
faith  or  courage.  He  made  up  his  mind  that  he  would  go  up 
the  river  to  Ava,  gain  an  audience  with  the  king  and  there 
boldly  ask  permission  to  carry  on  his  work  as  a  Christian 
missionary.  He  accordingly  applied  to  the  governor  for  a 
pass  "to  go  up  to  the  golden  feet  and  lift  up  his  eyes  to  the 
golden  face,"  and  permission  was  given.  A  boat  was  pur- 
chased, a  present  was  prepared  for  the  king,  consisting  of  a 


144  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^««*^ 

Bible  in  six  volumes,  covered  with  gold  leaf  and  enclosed  in  a 
rich  wrapper,  and  he  set  out  on  a  journey  that  was  to  lead 
him  eventually  into  perils  and  hardships  of  which  he  had  had 
but  a  glimpse  thus  far. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story,  and  find  out  whatever  else  you 
can  about  Mr.  Judson  and  about  Burma.  The  American 
Baptist  Foreign  Mission  Society,  Boston,  can  furnish  you  with 
leaflets  that  will  give  information  about  Mr.  Judson  and  the 
work  in  Burma.  At  the  public  library  may  be  found  books 
on  India  that  will  also  give  information  about  Burma. 

2.  What  led  to  the  formation  of  the  first  American  foreign 
missionary  societies? 

3.  How  did  Mr.  Judson  show  his  high  sense  of  honor  and 
t^'^ithfulness  ? 

4.  How  did  his  action  in  this  matter  lead  to  an  enlarge- 
ment of  the  missionary  work? 

5.  What  difficulties  did  the  Judsons  have  to  meet  at  the 
beginning  of  their  work  in  India? 

6.  What  have  yoij  learned  about  Burma  and  the  need  for 
Christian  missionaries  there? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK., 

7.  Write  at  the  top  of  a  new  page  the  names  of  Mr.  Judson  and  his 
wife. 

8.  Write  a  short  story  of  his  boyhood,  mentioning  any  incidents  that 
you  think  had  influence  on  his  later  hfe. 

9.  Write  a  paragraph  about  his  going  as  a  missionary,  and  another 
about  his  first  experiences  in  India. 

10.  Illustrate  your  story  with  pictures  of  Mr.  Judson  and  his  wife 
and  scenes  in  Burma,  if  you  can  find  them.  The  American  Baptist 
Foreign  Mission  Society,  Boston,  can  send  you  some.  They  have  a 
series  of  Orient  Pictures  which  cost  one  cent  each,  in  lots  of  twenty- 
five  or  more.  Some  of  these  are  on  Burma.  Draw  an  outHne  map  of 
Burma,  and  locate  on  it  the  places  mentioned  in  this  and  the  next 
lesson. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Is.^  6 : 6-8,  in  which  the  prophet  Isaiah  tells  about  his  own  call 
to  be  a  minister. 


"^^i^v  Adoniram  Jiidson  145 

Lesson    30.     ADONIRAM    JUDSON.     The    Apostle    to    the 

Burmans. 

"  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  shall  tribulation, 
or  anguish,  or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sword? 
.  .  .  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through 
him  that  loved  us."     Rom,  8:35,  37. 

A  Dangerous  Voyage.  The  missionaries'  journey  to  Ava 
was  a  perilous  one.  Their  way  led  through  a  country  infested 
by  robbers,  and  they  had  to  tie  up  for  one  night  at  a  point 
where,  but  a  few  days  before,  a  boat  had  been  attacked  and 
several  people  killed.  They  were  offered  escorts  at  some 
places,  but  declined,  feeling  that  the  escorts  would  be  about 
as  bad  as  the  robbers  themselves.  Added  to  these  dangers 
was  the  suspense  and  uncertainty  concerning  their  reception- 
by  the  monarch.  They  were  going  on  an  errand  which  might 
■'^cide  the  entire  fate  of  the  mission  in  Burma.  The  king 
might  receive  them  graciously  and  grant  them  the  protection 
they  sought.  On  the  other  hand,  he  might  have  them  put  to 
death  or,  at  best,  drive  them  from  the  country  and  undo 
all  the  work  that  they  had  so  heroically  toiled  for.  They 
could  only  pray  and  hope  for  the  best.  The  result  was  a  dis- 
appointment. The  king  received  Mr.  *fudson  and  hstened  to 
his  request,  but  declined  to  grant  the  desired  permission  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  or  to  promise  any  protection  for  natives 
who  might  change  their  rehgion.  With  heavy  hearts  they 
returned  to  Rangoon,  thinking  that  they  must  abandon  the 
mission  there  and  go  to  Chittagong,  which  was  under  British 
protection.  But  to  their  surprise,  the  little  band  of  native 
converts  at  Rangoon  stood  firm  and  declared  that  they  were 
ready  to  take  the  risk  if  the  teacher  would  stay  and  work 
among  them.  The  Judsons  decided  at  once  that  they  would 
stay. 

In  Royal  Favor.  Some  time  after  this  another  missionary 
came  from  America,  Dr.  Price,  who  attracted  much  attention 
because  of  his  medical  skill.  The  king  heard  of  him  and  sent 
an  invitation  for  him  and  Mr.  Judson  to  come  to  Ava.  The 
way  was  thus  unexpectedly  opened  for  the  pushing  of  the 
mission  work  in  the  capital  city.  The  church  at  Rangoon 
by  this  time  numbered  eighteen,  and  they  went  on  bravely 
with  their  work.  The  party  arrived  at  Ava,  the  Judsons 
built  themselves  a  house  in  two  weeks  in  a  climate  where  the 


146  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^«son 

temperature  stood  at  108  degrees  in  the  shade,  a  girl's  school 
was  started,  and  for  a  time  it  seemed  as  if  their  hopes  were 
to  be  realized. 

War  and  Imprisonment.  But  in  the  course  of  time  war 
broke  out  between  Burma  and  Great  Britain.  Enemies 
spread  the  report  that  the  foreigners  were  in  league  with  the 
British,  and  one  day  soldiers  came  to  the  Judson's  home  and 
seized  Mr.  Judson.  In  spite  of  the  entreaties  of  Mrs.  Judson, 
he  was  bound  with  small  cords  drawn  so  tightly  as  to  cause 
intense  pain,  and  driven  away  to  prison,  there  to  begin  an 
experience  of  nearly  two  years  which  was  enough  to  kill  any 
ordinary  man.  The  prison  to  which  he  was  taken  was  called 
Let-ma-yoon,  meaning  "  hand  shrink  not,"  and  the  name  was 
given  it  because  of  the  horrid  deeds  of  cruelty  practised 
there,  from  which  it  was  thought  that  even  the  hardest  hand 
might  well  shrink.  The  prison  house  was  a  long,  low  shed, 
which  became  a  veritable  furnace  in  the  hot  tropical  sun. 
It  had  never  been  cleaned;  and  was  crowded  with  miserable 
prisoners,  very  few  of  whom  ever  left  it  alive.  Each  prisoner 
was  chained  with  two  to  five  or  more  pairs  of  iron  fetters, 
riveted  on  the  ankles  and  connected  by  a  chain  so  short  as 
to  make  walking  almost  impossible.  At  night  their  feet 
were  confined  in  stocks,  or  they  were  strung  up  on  long  bam- 
boo poles  passed  between  the  feet  and  inside  of  the  fetters, 
then  hoisted  up  so  that  the  victim  hung  by  his  feet  with  only 
the  back  and  shoulders  resting  upon  the  ground.  Even  this 
was  mild  compared  with  the  torments  that  some  of  these 
poor  wretches  had  to  bear,  and  while  the  foreigners  were 
spared  these  worst  tortures,  it  was  almost  as  bad  for  a  sen- 
sitive man  like  Mr.  Judson  to  witness  them  being  practised 
on  others.  Finally  they  were  taken  from  this  prison  and 
driven  barefooted  over  eight  miles,  to  a  place  called  Oung- 
pen-la,  over  roads  so  burning  hot  under  the  fierce  sun  that 
their  feet  were  absolutely  raw.  Then  they  were  put  'into 
a  prison  even  worse  than  the  first.  They  learned  later  that 
they  had  been  sent  there  by  the  commander-in-chief  of  the 
army  to  be  sacrificed,  and  were  only  saved  from  this  fate  by 
the  sudden  fall  from  favor  of  this  cruel  officer,  and  his  execu- 
tion. 

A  Loyal  Heroine.     Meanwhile  Mrs.  Judson,  alone  and  un- 
protected in  the  midst  of  these  cruel  men,  was  making  ever> 


^^'^'^  ^  Adoniram  Jiidson  147 

effort  to  secure  the  release  of  her  husband,  or  at  least  the 
lightening  of  his  sufferings.  Her  loyalty  and  courage  and 
quiet  dignity  won  for  her  the  respect  and  admiration  of  some 
even  among  these  savage  men,  and  protected  her  from  harm, 
even  though  she  could  not  get  all  the  favors  that  she  wanted, 
and  some  of  the  Burmese  officials  treated  her  very  harshly. 
She  finally  did  gain  permission  to  remove  Mr.  Judson  to  a 
little  hut  where  she  could  bring  him  food,  and  care  for  him 
in  an  attack  of  fever,  and  then  came  his  sudden  removal  to 
this  other  prison,  Oung-pen-la.  She  immediately  set  off 
after  them,  accompanied  only  by  her  native  cook,  two  little 
Burman  girls,  and  her  baby,  then  only  three  months  old. 
Part  of  the  journey  had  to  be  made  in  a  Burmese  cart,  with 
no  springs,  over  a  rough  road  and  under  a  burning  sun.  When 
brave  Mrs.  Judson  arrived  at  Oung-pen-la,  and  saw  the  utter 
wretchedness  of  the  place,  she  was  nearly  disheartened,  but 
bravely  rallied  her  strength  and  began  to  see  what  she  could 
do  to  help  her  husband.  The  next  thing  that  came  was 
small  pox,  attacking  the  children,  then  Mrs.  Judson  herself, 
and  after  this  came  the  spotted  fever,  a  disease  nearly  always 
fatal  to  foreigners.  And  yet  in  the  midst  of  all  this  we  find 
that  Mr.  Judson  was  thinking  more  about  the  prospects  of 
finally  winning  Burma  for  Jesus  Christ  than  of  what  might 
happen  to  himself. 

Relief  at  Last.  Meanwhile  the  English  army  was  gaining 
victory  after  victory,  and  steadily  advancing  upon  the  cap- 
ital of  Burma.  Mr.  Judson  was  finally  taken  from  prison 
and  sent  to  the  Burmese  camp  to  act  as  interpreter  and  trans- 
lator, but  as  soon  as  they  were  through  with  him  he  was  sent 
back  to  prison.  At  last  the  time  came  when  the  king  was 
forced  to  make  terms  with  the  British  general.  The  liberation 
of  the  prisoners  was  made  a  part  of  the  contract,  and  Mr. 
Judson  was  set  free. 

There  is  an  interesting  story  connected  with  this  release. 
After  peace  had  been  declared,  the  British  general  invited  a 
number  of  the  Burmese  officials  to  a  dinner.  When  they  were 
ready  to  sit  down  there  was  a  moment's  delay,  and  then  the 
general  came  in  with  Mrs.  Judson  on  his  arm  and  seated  her  in 
the  place  of  honor.  The  officials  were  in  a  panic  at  seeing  this 
woman  whom  they  had  so  cruelly  treated,  when  she  had 
begged  them  for  her  husband's   life,   now  honored  by   th(? 


148  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^^^ 

general  who  had  them  all  in  his  power.  The  general  re- 
marked to  Mrs.  Judson,  "  These  men  seem  to  know  you,  but 
judging  from  their  looks  you  cannot  have  treated  them  well." 
Mrs.  Judson  replied,  "  Perhaps  they  are  thinking  of  the  wa}^ 
in  which  they  treated  me  when  I  walked  through  the  burning 
heat  to  entreat  them  for  Mr.  Judson 's  relief,"  and  she  told 
the  story  of  her  experiences.  Expressions  of  indignation 
broke  from  the  lips  of  the  English  officers,  and  the  Burmese 
officials  sat  there  covered  with  cold  perspiration,  thinking 
what  would  happen  if  the  situation  were  reversed  and  they 
had  in  their  power  one  who  had  treated  them  so. 

Back  at  Work.  I  imagine  that  most  of  us,  after  such  an 
experience  as  the  Judsons'  would  have  taken  the  first  ship 
back  to  America.  They  went  right  to  work  again  for  Burma. 
Although  often  urged  to  come  home  on  account  of  his  health, 
Mr.  Judson  declined,  saying  that  he  had  too  much  to  do  for 
these  poor  heathen.  Mrs.  Judson  died  while  he  was  away 
on  a  mission  for  the  English  government.  He  himself  had 
to  meet  fever  and  ague  and  hardship.  After  eight  years  he 
married  again,  the  heroic  widow  of  another  heroic  missionary, 
Dr.  Boardman,  and  finally,  on  account  of  the  illness  of  this 
wife,  consented  to  go  to  America.  But  she  died  on  the  way 
and  was  buried  at  St.  Helena.  Mr.  Judson  was  received 
with  great  honor  in  America,  but  shrank  with  modesty  from 
all  praise  and  public  notice.  As  soon  as  possible  he  sailed 
again  for  India,  to  push  on  his  work  of  preaching  the  Gospel 
to  the  Burmans. 

Last  Years  and  Great  Results.  This  is  but  a  very  little  part 
of  the  thrilling  story  of  Adoniram  Judson 's  life-work.  There 
is  not  space  here  for  more,  but  we  must  take  a  glance  at  what 
he  did.  When  he  first  went  to  Burma  he  said  that  if  he  could 
live  to  see  a  church  of  one  hundred  converts  he  would  die 
happy.  But  at  his  death  over  7,000  Burmans  had  been 
baptized  and  many  more  converted,  63  churches  had  been 
established,  and  163  missionaries,  native  pastors,  and  assist- 
ants were  at  work.  He  had  translated  the  entire  Bible,  had 
completed  the  English-Burmese  part  of  a  great  dictionary,  and 
nearly  completed  the  Burmese-English  part.  More  than  this, 
he  had  been  the  means  of  forming  the  great  American  Baptist 
Foreign  Mission  Society  which,  in  1909,  had  established 
2,491  churches,  with  637  missionaries,  6,974  native  helpers, 


Thirty,  one  Marcus  Whitman  149 

and  274,959  church  members  in  foreign  lands.  God  allowed 
Adoniram  Judson  to  see  the  work  of  the  Lord  prospering  in 
his  hands. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  this  story,  and  continue  the  study  about  Judson 's 
work  in  such  other  books  as  you  may  be  able  to  find.  The 
Life  of  Adoniram  Judson,  by  his  son,  Edward  Judson,  is  the 
best  story  of  his  work  published. 

2.  In  what  ways  did  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  show  their 
courage  and  loyalty? 

3.  How  was  their  faith  in  God  rewarded? 

4.  Name  some  of  the  things  w^hich  Mr.  Judson  accom- 
plished by  his  work  in  Burma. 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

5.  Continue  your  sketch  of  Mr,  Judson's  life,  telling  also  something 
of  Mrs.  Judson's  heroism. 

6.  Read  2  Cor.  11: 18-28,  and  make  a  hst  of  the  things  that  both  the 
Apostle  Paul  and  Mr.  Judson  had  to  meet  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ. 

7.  Write  a  short  paragraph  telling  what  you  can  about  the  present 
needs  of  mission  work  in  Burma,  and  what  has  been  done  there. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Paul's  song  of  triumph  (Rom.  8:  31,  35,  37-39). 


Lesson     31.     MARCUS     WHITMAN.     Pioneer,     Missionary 

and  Patriot. 

Born  Sept.  4,  1802;  died  Nov.  29,  1847. 
•*  Even  so  run;  that  ye  may  attain."       1  Cor.  9:24. 

The  Great  Northwest.  The  map  of  the  United  States  in 
your  geography  shows,  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  coun- 
try, three  great  states,  Oregon,  Idaho,  and  Washington.  A 
hundred  and  twenty-five  years  ago  this  territory  was  un- 
divided and  practically  unknown.  The  United  States  made 
no  claim  to  its  ownership  or  to  any  lands  bordering  on  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  It  was  inhabited  only  by  wild  beasts  and 
hardly  less  wild  savages.  In  1792  a  famous  American  sailor, 
Capt.  Robert  Gray,  in  his  good  ship  Columbia,  was  cruising 
along  this  coast  with   articles  for  trade   with   the   Indians, 


150  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^«««^ 

when  he  noticed  a  difference  in  the  color  of  the  water,  indicat- 
ing the  presence  of  some  large  river  flowing  into  the  ocean. 
Cautiously  feeling  his  way  with  the  sounding  line,  he  crossed 
the  bar  and  discovered  the  great  river  which  he  named  after 
his  vessel,  the  Columbia.  Other  explorers  followed,  par- 
ticularly an  English  captain,  Vancouver,  whom  Captain 
Gray  told  about  the  river,  and  who  sailed  several  miles  farther 
up.  Both  England  and  the  United  States  laid  claim  to  the 
country  on  the  ground  of  these  and  other  discoveries,  though 
neither  country  pushed  its  claims  very  vigorously  for  some 
time. 

The  Fur  Hunters.  After  the  discoverers  came  the  fur 
hunters,  who  occupied  the  country,  buying  furs  of  the  Indians 
and  sending  out  their  own  trappers  for  skins  which  they 
sold  at  great  profit  in  England  and  other  lands.  The  largest 
and  strongest  company  of  fur  hunters  was  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  an  English  concern  who  managed  to  keep  the 
territory  pretty  much  to  themselves,  although  the  agreement 
between  the  United  States  and  England  provided  that  the 
land  should  be  open  to  the  people  of  both  nations  while  the 
claims  of  each  were  unsettled. 

The  Visit  of  the  Indians.  Many  of  these  explorers  and 
trappers  were  Christians  and  they  told  the  Indians  something 
of  their  religion  and  of  the  white  man's  Bible  and  his  Sabbath. 
One  tribe  in  particular,  the  Nez  Perces,  wished  to  know 
more  and,  in  1832,  five  of  their  chiefs  took  the  long  journey 
over  the  Rockies  to  St.  Louis,  to  ask  for  the  Bible  and  for 
teachers  to  instruct  them  in  the  Christian  faith.  Four  of 
them  reached  St.  Louis,  where  they  were  hospitably  received 
by  General  Clarke,  who  knew  their  tribe  and  language ;  and 
their  visit  was  made  as  pleasant  as  possible,  but  their  main 
desire  was  left  unsatisfied.  At  last  it  was  time  for  them  to 
return.  Only  two  were  left,  two  having  died  in  St.  Louis. 
One  of  these  made  a  pathetic  and  dignified  farewell  speech, 
in  which  he  said:  "  My  people  sent  me  to  get  the  white 
man's  Book  of  Heaven.  I  am  going  back  the  long,  sad  trail 
to  my  people  of  the  dark  land.  You  make  my  feet  heavy 
with  burdens  of  gifts,  and  my  moccasins  will  grow  old  in 
carrying  them,  but  the  Book  is  not  among  them.  Whon 
I  tell  my  poor  blind  people,  after  one  more  snow,  in  the  big 
council,  that  I  did  not  bring  the  Book,  no  word  will  be  spoken 


Thirty-one  Marcus  Whitman  151 

by  our  old  men  or  by  our  young  braves.  One  by  one  they 
will  rise  up  and  go  out  in  silence.  My  people  will  die  in 
darkness,  and  they  will  go  out  on  the  long  path  to  the  other 
hunting  grounds.  No  white  man  will  go  with  them,  and  no 
white  man's  book  will  make  the  way  plain.  I  have  no  more 
words." 

The  Appeal  Answered.  This  speech  was  translated  and 
published  in  the  East,  with  the  question,  "  Who  will  go 
beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains  and  carry  the  Book  of  Heaven?  " 
The  call  reached  the  heart  of  Marcus  Whitman,  and  soon 
he  and  his  bride  started  on  a  long  and  toilsome  wedding- 
journey  to  the  far  Northwest.  It  was  no  pleasure  trip. 
With  horse  and  wagon,  or  sleigh,  they  made  their  way  from 
Elmira,  N.  Y.,  to  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  then  by  steamer  to  St. 
Louis  and  to  Liberty  Landing  in  western  Missouri;  then 
again  with  teams  to  Fort  Laramie.  Here  the  fur  hunters 
had  usually  left  their  wagons,  but  Dr.  Whitman  was  deter- 
mined to  ^take  his  through.  They  pushed  on,  struggling 
through  the  timber,  across  swollen  rivers,  up  over  rocky 
roads  that  would  have  been  impassable  to  any  one  with 
less  grit  and  perseverance.  Once  they  narrowly  escaped 
being  trampled  to  death  by  a  vast  herd  of  stampeded  buffaloes, 
that  swerved  aside  just  in  time,  and  passed  them  with  a 
noise  Hke  thunder.  The  wagon  was  repeatedly  upset,  once 
in  the  middle  of  a  river.  They  finally  had  to  take  off  two 
of  its  wheels  and  make  it  into  a  two-wheeled  cart.  But  Dr. 
Whitman  never  gave  up,  and  at  last  brought  it  through. 
On  the  fourth  of  July,  1836,  they  stood  on  the  crest  of  the 
Rocky  Mountain  ridge  at  South  Pass,  and  there  reverently 
took  possession  of  the  Pacific  slope  in  the  name  of  God  and  the 
United  States.  On  July  6  they  arrived  at  the  rendezvous 
where  the  mountaineers,  trappers,  and  Indians  met  once  a 
year  to  trade,  and  where  for  the  time  being  they  were  at 
peace  w4th  each  other.  Here  Dr.  Whitman  was  advised  to 
leave  his  wagon,  but  he  persisted  in  taking  it  on,  in  spite  of 
every  obstacle.  Experienced  mountaineers  said  that  it 
could  not  be  done,  but  he  did  it.  The  men  of  the  mountains 
also  said  that  women  could  never  get  through  with  that 
terrible  journey,  but  Mrs.  Whitman  and  Mrs.  Spalding  did 
that  also,  though  Mrs.  Spalding  was  ill  most  of  the  way. 
They  were  the  first  women  to  cross  the  Rocky  Mountains, 


152  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^<^ 

and  this  feat  had  much  to  do  with  saving  the  country  to  our 
nation. 

Mission  Work.  At  last  they  reached  the  coast,  where 
they  were  enthusiastically  welcomed,  and  soon  established 
their  mission  a  few  miles  from  the  present  city  of  Walla 
Walla.  They  were  joyfully  received  by  the  Indians,  and 
began  at  once  to  teach  them  to  sow  and  plant  and  build 
homes  for  themselves,  and  in  other  ways  to  adopt  the  habits 
of  civilization.  This  was  quite  different  from  the  policy 
that  had  been  followed  by  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  whose 
officers  wanted  to  keep  the  Indians  wild  so  that  they  would 
be  more  ready  to  go  out  after  furs  for  them.  The  mission- 
aries also  taught  the  Indians  to  read  the  Bible,  to  love  and 
serve  God  and  to  help  their  fellow  men,  instead  of  hunting  and 
killing  them. 

Patriotic  Work.  Dr.  Whitman  was  not  only  a  good 
Christian,  he  was  also  a  good  American  citizen.  He  soon 
saw  that  the  real  question  of  ownership  of  this  great,  rich 
territory  would  be  determined  by  the  people  who  actually 
came  there  to  settle  and  to  live.     The  Hudson  Bay  Company 

did  not  want  settlers.  They  wanted 
to  keep  the  country  to  themselves  for 
the  purposes  of  hunting  and  trap- 
ping, for  they  were  growing  tremen- 
dously rich  out  of  their  monopoly  of 
this  business.  They  had  therefore 
spread  the  report  that  Oregon  was  a 
wild  and  desolate  land,  fit  for  nothing 
but  hunting,  and  they  did  all  in  their 
power  to  exaggerate  the  dangers  and 
difficulties  of  reaching  it,  especially 
from  the  United  States.  But  as 
the  Americans  kept  coming,  they 
saw  that  they  were  likely  to  lose 
..o„.?t';irrr™.s.„d  their  hold  on  the  country  entirely, 
Oregon."  ^ud   SO   began  to  encourage  immi- 

grants from  Canada.  Meanwhile  the  two  governments 
were  discussing  the  question  of  ownership  and  trying  to  settle 
the  question  by  treaty.  Dr.  Whitman  saw  that  the  United 
States  was  in  danger  of  trading  off  her  claims  upon  this 
valuable  territory  for  a  song,  simply  because  the  people  in 


Thiriy-one  Marcus  Whitman  153 

the  East  did  not  know  its  value.  He  determined  therefore 
to  go  East  and  do  what  he  could  to  open  their  eyes.  The 
situation  was  critical  and  demanded  haste.  So  in  the  fall 
of  1842,  with  Gen.  Amos  L.  Lovejoy  and  a  guide  he  set  off 
to  cross  the  mountains  and  carry  his  message  and  appeal  for 
Oregon. 

A  Great  Undertaking.  It  was  a  fearful  journey.  They 
had  to  cross  the  mountains  in  the  winter  time,  in  the  face  of 
terrible  storms  and  deep  snows.  Once  they  became  lost  in 
the  snow,  the  guide  gave  up,  and  they  found  their  way  back 
to  the  sheltered  ravine  where  they  had  camped  last  only 
through  the  sagacity  of  the  mule  that  led  the  train.  There 
General  Lovejoy  waited  to  rest  the  animals,  while  Dr.  Whit- 
man went  back  to  Fort  Uncumpagra  for  another  guide. 
Then  on  they  pushed  to  the  Grand  River  to  find  it  frozen 
for  two  hundred  feet  from  either  shore,  with  two  hundred 
feet  of  rushing  torrent  between.  The  guide  said,  "  We 
cannot  cross.  It  is  too  dangerous."  Dr.  Whitman  said, 
"  We  must  cross."  He  mounted  his  horse,  made  them  push 
him  off  the  ice,  and  disappeared  beneath  the  icy  torrent. 
But  he  came  up,  swam  his  horse  across,  broke  the  ice  on 
the  other  side,  and  helped  his  horse  out.  Then  the  other 
two  came  over.  He  simply  would  not  accept  anything  as 
impossible.  One  night  they  reached  a  tributary  of  the 
Arkansas  River.  It  was  intensely  cold  and  they  must  have 
firewood.  On  the  other  side  of  the  river  there  was  plenty ; 
on  their  side  there  was  none.  The  doctor  took  the  axe,  lay 
down  on  the  thin  ice  which  covered  the  swift  stream,  snaked 
himself  across,  cut  the  wood,  slid  it  over  the  ice  and  got 
back  in  safety. 

A  Plea  for  Oregon.  And  so,  by  sheer  determination, 
Whitman  reached  St.  Louis  and  went  on  to  Washington. 
He  was  in  time.  The  Oregon  question  had  not  been  settled. 
He  saw  the  Secretary  of  State,  Daniel  Webster,  and  President 
Tyler.  Mr.  Webster  said  that  Oregon  was  not  worth  quibbling 
over,  and  at  any  rate  not  worth  it  to  the  United  States, 
for  there  was  no  wagon  road  over  the  mountains  by  which 
emigrants  could  go  with  their  goods.  Whitman  repHed, 
"  Mr.  Secretary,  there  is  a  wagon  road  over  those  mountains, 
for  I  made  it  myself,  and  I  have  the  wagon  now."  President 
Tyler  promised   Dr.   Whitman  that  he  would  hold  up  the 


i*)4  Heroes  of  the  Faith  Lesson 

Oregon  question  until  he  should  learn  the  outcome  of  the 
emigration  which  Whitman  proposed  to  lead  back  there 
the  next  spring.  That  was  all  that  Dr.  Whitman  wanted. 
After  a  hurried  visit  in  the  East,  he  went  back  to  St.  Louis 
and  found  a  party  of  a  thousand  people  ready  to  start  for 
the  Northwest.  He  joined  them,  and  again  went  through 
that  heroic  struggle  against  tremendous  odds,  multiplied  by 
the  greater  number  of  those  to  be  helped  and  encouraged 
and  cared  for.  But  they  won  out,  and  as  that  great  com- 
pany descended  the  western  slope  of  the  Rockies,  Whitman 
knew  that  Oregon  was  won  for  his  country. 

A  Tragic  Fate.  Dr.  Whitman  returned  to  find  that  things 
had  not  gone  altogether  well  during  his  absence.  Some 
half-breed  Indians  and  others  had  stirred  up  trouble.  Some 
of  the  Indians  who  had  not  accepted  Christianity  had  become 
restless  and  disliked  being  urged  to  work,  and  being  told  of 
their  sins.  They  grew  impudent  and  even  threatening. 
Dr.  Whitman  was  warned  .by  friendly  Indians  that  he  had 
better  leave  for  a  time,  but  he  could  not  just  then.  At  last, 
in  November  of  1847,  the  mission  station  was  attacked  by 
the  Indians,  under  the  lead  of  an  ungrateful  Canadian  Indian 
whom  the  doctor  had  repeatedly  befriended,  and  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Whitman  and  twelve  others  were  cruelly  massacred. 

A  Fruitful  Life.  But  in  spite  of  this  tragic  end,  the  life  of 
Dr.  Whitman  was  rich  in  its  results.  It  was  undoubtedly 
the  largest  single  force  in  saving  to  our  country  that  great 
northwest  territory,  and  it  gave  the  impetus  to  Christian 
education  which  now  centers  about  Whitman  College,  estab- 
lished as  a  monument  to  his  heroic  life  and  work.  And  it 
has  left  for  every  one  of  us  a  splendid  picture  of  what  can 
be  accomplished  by  the  man  who  will,  especially  when  he 
is  inspired  by  the  love  of  God  and  country  and  fellow  men. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  story  and  anything  else  you  can  find  about 
Marcus  Whitman  and  the  early  days  of  Oregon.  The  Log 
School  House  on  the  Columbia,  by  Hezekiah  Butterworth, 
is  a  story  whose  scene  is  laid  in  this  time.  How  Marcus 
Whitman  Saved  Oregon,  by  C.  W.  Nixon,  is  interesting, 
especially  chs   8-7,  M,  13-15. 


Thirtv-oM  Marctis  Whitma,.  IP.1 

2.  Upon  what  did  the  United  States  base  her  claim  K> 
Oregon  ? 

3.  Why  was  she  in  danger  of  losing  this  territory  ? 

4.  What  led  Whitman  to  go  to  Oregon  ? 

5.  Tell  something  about  his  journey  and  its  hardships. 

6.  How  long  does  it  take  to  reach  Oregon  to-day? 

7.  What  part  did  he  have  in  saving  the  territorv  to  the 
United  States? 

8.  What  most  impresses  you  in  his  character? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

9.  Write  a  short  story  about  Dr.  Whitman  and  his  work. 

10.  On  a  map  of  the  United  States  trace  Whitman's  journey  from 
Elmira,  N.  Y.,  to  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  thence  by  steamer  down  the  Ohio 
River,  up  the  Mississippi  to  St.  Louis,  and  then  up  the  Missouri  to 
Liberty  Landing,  Clay  Co.,  Mo.;  thence  by  land  to  Fort  Leavenworth, 
Kansas,  and  to  Fort  Kearney  on  the  Platte  River  in  Nebraska ;  then 
following  the  North  Platte  River  to  Fort  Laramie  in  what  is  now 
Wyoming;  from  there  to  Fort  Hall  on  the  Snake  River  in  S.  E.  Idaho; 
then  following  the  north  side  of  the  Snake  River  about  three  hundred 
miles,  crossing  the  river  and  journeying  N.  W.  to  Walla  Walla;  then*^e 
by  the  Columbia  River  to  Vancouver,  arrd  back  to  Walla  Walla. 

Get  a  map  of  the  territory  he  worked,  and  paste  it  in  your  book. 
A  railroad  folder  will  furnish  one  about  the  right  size. 

11.  Write  down  the  results  that  have  grown  out  of  Whitman's  work. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  motto  at  the  head  of  this  lesson,  and  the  following  lines 
from  a  poem  that  was  read  at  the  dedication  of  the  Whitman  monu- 
ment: 

"But  one  there  was  who  came  in  peace  and  zeal. 
To  lift  the  cross  and  guide  the  conquering  wheel, 
His  sword  the  flaming  truth,  his  sign  the  cross, 
He  counted  all  but  faith  as  empty  dross; 
Fair  was  that  noble  form,  and  fairer  e'en  his  bride- 
Whitman,  who  dared  for  Oregon  to  ride, 
Who  saved  an  empire,  and  a  martyr  died." 


156  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^««««» 

Lesson   32.    WILLIAM    TAYLOR.     His   Preparation   for   a 
World-wide  Mission. 

Born  May  2,  1821;  died  May  18.  1902. 

*'  We  are  ambassadors  therefore  on  behalf  of  Christ,  as  though  God 
were  entreating  by  us :  we  beseech  you  on  behalf  of  Christ,  be  ye  recon- 
ciled to  God."     2  Cor.  5:20. 

A  Preacher  who  Won  his  Congregation.  A  farmer  was  clear- 
ing some  forest  land  at  Red  Holes,  in  the  mountains  of  Vir- 
ginia. He  had  chopped  down  his  trees,  cut  them  into  great 
logs  fifteen  feet  long,  and  invited  his  neighbors  from  miles 
around  to  a  log-rolling  bee.  They  gathered  with  their  hand- 
spikes and  went  to  work  rolling  the  big  logs  together  and  pil- 
ing them  into  heaps  where  they  might  be  burned.  It  was  a 
task  requiring  considerable  strength  and  no  little  skill,  and 
there  was  plenty  of  friendly  rivalry  to  see  who  could  pull  logs 
the  fastest  and  get  the  most  done.  While  they  were  at  work 
a  stranger  rode  up  to  the  edge  of  the  clearing,  hitched  his 
horse,  climbed  the  fence,  and,  without  saying  a  word  to  any 
one,  picked  up  a  handspike  and  went  to  work.  No  one  knew 
him,  but,  as  they  watched  the  strength  and  skill  with  which 
he  rolled  those  big  logs  into  the  place  where  they  were  wanted, 
there  were  plenty  of  guesses  as  to  who  he  might  be.  When  the 
work  was  over,  the  stranger  called  out:  "  Men,  the  young 
preacher  that  the  bishop  has  sent  to  preach  in  your  circuit 
has  come  and  is  to  speak  at  the  chapel  to-night.  Get  through 
with  your  supper  as  soon  as  you  can,  and  come  out  to  hear 
him."  "  Are  you  sure  he  is  here?"  asked  some.  **  Oh,  yes, 
there  is  no  doubt  about  that."  "  Can  a  fellow  who  rolls  logs 
like  you  be  the  preacher?"  was  the  next  question.  '*  Come 
along  and  see,"  was  the  reply.  The  men  concluded  that  he 
must  be  the  man,  and  they  also  concluded  that  they  wanted 
to  hear  what  a  man  who  could  beat  them  at  their  own  work 
would  have  to  say  in  the  pulpit.  So  William  Taylor,  the 
young  Methodist  preacher,  had  a  crowded  house  at  Red  Holes 
that  evening. 

A  Son  of  Hardy  Stock.  He  came  of  good  stock.  His  grand- 
parents were  Scotch-Irish,  and  his  grandfather  and  four 
brothers  came  to  Virginia  in  time  to  help  the  colonies  win  their 
independence  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  His  father,  Stuart 
Taylor,  and  his  mother,  Martha  Hickman  Taylor,  were  sound, 
sensible  folks,  who  were  well  educated  for  their  time,  and 


Thirty-two  William  Taylor  157 

much  in  advance  of  their  neighbors  in  the  qualities  of  thrift 
and  resourcefulness.  William  Taylor  inherited  these  traits 
of  character  and  developed  them  throughout  his  own  life. 
His  parents  were  Presbyterians  for  many  years,  but  rather 
formal  in  their  religious  life.  His  father  was  deeply  stirred 
by  the  preaching  of  a  Methodist  revivalist,  and  later  joined  the 
Methodist  church,  with  his  family. 

Boyhood  Experiences.  William  Taylor  was  a  lively  young- 
ster, with  his  full  share  of  mischief.  His  grandmother  once 
took  him  to  a  wool-picking,  where  he  met  another  boy  of  about 
his  own  age.  As  they  were  not  big  enough  to  help  with  the 
wool,  they  strolled  out  by  the  creek  to  hunt  snakes,  then  into 
the  barn,  where  they  found  some  young  kittens.  Picking  them 
up,  the  boys  walked  quietly  into  the  room  where  the  women 
were  piling  up  the  clean,  white  wool,  and  dropped  the  kittens 
into  the  pile.  They  left  very  hurriedly,  while  the  women  had 
a  great  time  trying  to  untangle  those  squealing  kittens  from 
the  mess. 

But  with  all  his  fun,  William  was  not  vicious,  and  was 
scrupulously  honest.  Once,  when  returning  from  a  camp- 
meeting,  they  had  to  pass  a  tollgate  on  a  road  which  Mr.  Tay- 
lor traveled  so  often  that  he  paid  a  certain  lump  sum  per  year 
for  himself  and  all  his  family.  A  certain  lady  of  whom 
William  had  always  thought  highly,  and  who  was  a  member  of 
their  church,  asked  him  to  ride  her  horse  and  let  her  take  his 
place  in  their  wagon,  so  that  she  might  escape  having  to  pay 
the  eighteen  cents  toll.  He  immediately  replied,  "  Why,  I 
can't  do  that,  it  would  not  be  fair." 

An  Itinerant  Preacher.  Young  Taylor  determined  to  be- 
come a  preacher.  In  those  days  the  young  ministers  of  the 
Methodist  church  were  usually  set  to  work  as  itinerant 
preachers.  That  is,  they  were  sent  about  from  place  to  place 
on  a  circuit  instead  of  preaching  in  one  church.  They  usually 
traveled  on  horseback,  and  often  met  with  amusing  and  some- 
times exciting  adventures.  Mr.  Taylor  was  used  to  roughing 
it,  and  always  took  what  came  in  the  day's  work  without 
complaint.  Some  one  gave  the  following  description  of  him 
at  this  time:  "  He  is  muscular  and  bony,  tall  and  slender, 
with  an  immense  pair  of  shoulders.  The  man  who  cut  his 
coat  ought  to  be  sent  to  the  penitentiary  and  set  at  hard  labor 
until  he  learns  his  business,  and  as  for  the  pants,  all  I  have  to 


158  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^«fi«ow 

say  is  that  a  pair  of  the  widest-toed  boots  I  ever  saw  were 
stuck  about  six  inches  too  far  through.  But  he  is  tremen- 
dously in  earnest,  preaches  with  power  both  human  and  divine, 
and  can  sing  as  loud  as  he  likes." 

Sturdy  Independence  and  Common  Sense.  Taylor's  prin- 
ciple in  life  was  not  to  worry  about  where  he  might  have  to 
work,  but  to  take  what  came  and  do  his  best.  He  was  never 
afraid  of  hard  work,  nor  did  he  care  what  people  thought 
about  him  so  long  as  he  was  doing  his  duty  the  best  he  knew 
how.  He  was  appointed  junior  preacher  of  a  wealthy  and 
fashionable  congregation,  and  a  friend  advised  him  to  go  to  a 
tailor  and  have  a  new  suit  of  clothes  made.  *'  But,"  said 
Taylor,  **  I  have  a  new  suit  on."  "I  know  that,"  was  the 
reply,  "  but  they  are  not  in  the  fashion,  and  people  will  be 
apt  to  laugh  at  you."  Taylor  knew  that  he  could  not  afford 
to  pay  for  a  new  suit  just  then,  and  he  certainly  did  not  wish 
any  one  to  give  one  to  him,  so  he  replied,  "  Thank  you  for 
your  kindly  advice,  but  I  shall  have  to  go  as  I  am.  If  people 
do  not  like  the  cut  of  my  mountain  clothes,  they  will  have  to 
look  the  other  way."  He  wanted  people  to  judge  him  by  his 
work  and  character,  rather  than  by  the  clothes  he  wore. 

To  California  with  the  Gold  Seekers.  In  1846  he  married 
Anne  Kimberlin,  who  proved  a  loyal  and  brave  helper  to  him 
through  all  the  years  of  their  life  together.  Soon  after  his 
marriage,  he  was  called  to  go  to  California  as  a  missionary. 
The  country  was  then  beginning  to  attract  many  on  account 
of  the  discovery  of  gold,  and  it  was  important  to  have  mis- 
sionaries there.  In  those  days  the  journey  to  California  was 
so  hard  and  long  that  they  took  farewell  of  their  friends  with- 
out any  expectation  of  ever  seeing  them  again.  The  Taylors 
went  by  ship  from  Baltimore  around  Cape  Horn.  It  took  155 
days  to  make  the  journey.  At  Valparaiso,  the  only  port  at 
which  they  landed  on  the  way,  they  received  the  bad  news 
that  California  was  a  land  of  anarchy,  that  neither  life  nor 
property  was  safe,  and  that  the  only  preacher  who  had  gone 
there  had  been  killed  by  the  miners,  put  into  a  barrel,  and 
marked  "  Beef."  They  found  that  most  of  this  was  untrue, 
but  at  the  time  they  had  no  reason  for  doubting  it.  How- 
ever, it  did  not  cause  them  the  slightest  hesitation. 

The  Early  Days  in  San  Francisco.  They  found  the  actual 
conditions  rough  enough.     San  Francisco  in  1849  was  a  city  of 


ThirtyUwo 


William  Taylor 


159 


tents  and  huts.  Men  had  come  in  mad  haste  to  get  rich,  and 
had  not  stopped  to  build  good  houses.  Fortunes  were  made 
in  a  single  day,  and  often  lost  as  quickly.  The  gambler's  pas- 
sion was  strong,  and  many  a  poor  fellow  saw  the  gold  that  he 
had  slaved  for  with  pickaxe  and  shovel  disappear  into  the 
pockets  of  the  gambler  who  lived  by  preying  upon  other  men. 
Mr.  Taylor  had  been  sent  out  by  the  society  in  the  East  with  a 
provision  of  $950  for  his  year's  expenses,  and  found  himself 
now  in  a  city  where  prices  were  enormous.  Beef  cost  fifty 
cents  a  pound,  apples  fifty  cents 
apiece,  butter  two  dollars  and  a  half 
a  pound,  eggs  fifty  cents  each,  and 
so  on.  And  yet  in  spite  of  this, 
WilHam  Taylor  managed  to  build 
himself  a  better  house  than  most 
men  had,  cutting  his  own  timber  on 
the  mountain  side,  and  inside  of  a 
year  he  had  found  a  way  to  support 
himself  without  asking  for  more 
help  from  the  missionary  society. 
At  the  very  beginning  of  his  mis- 
sionary work  he  adopted  the  princi- 
ple of  self-support  for  which  he  and 
his  missions  later  became  famous. 
He  was  an  independent  spirit  and  would  not  be  under  obliga- 
tions if  he  could  help  it. 


William  Taylor. 


Preaching  in  the  Streets.  William  Taylor  was  soon  at 
work  preaching.  He  had  no  fine  church  building  to  preach 
in,  and  he  probably  would  not  have  gained  many  hearers  if 
he  had  possessed  one.  He  went  after  his  audience,  and  took 
them  where  he  could  find  them.  He  would  go  down  to  the 
wharves,  where  men  were-  at  work,  or  he  would  take  his  stand 
on  some  street  corner,  often  in  front  of  a  gambling  saloon,  and 
begin  to  sing.  His  powerful  voice  soon  attracted  a  crowd,  and 
then  he  w^ould  begin  to  preach.  He  never  minced  matters, 
but  ^poke  straight  to  the  consciences  of  men,  telling  them  of 
their  sins  and  pointing  out  the  way  of  salvation  and  peace. 
He  was  quick  to  seize  every  opportunity  to  make  his  truth 
plain.  One  day  a  prisoner  was  led  to  the  chain  gang.  "  Look 
at  that  poor  fellow,"  cried  Taylor.  "  How  gladly  would  he 
kick  off  that  chain  and  be  free  !     Yet  he  is  no  more  a  prisoner 


16c  denies  of  the  Fatu.  ^««o^ 

to-day  than  you  are,  under  the  chains  of  sinful  habit,  in  the 
hands  of  your  keeper,  the  devil."  A  man  once  tried  to  make 
a  disturbance  and  interrupt  the  meeting.  "  See  here,  my 
friend,"  said  Taylor,  "  when  did  you  arrive?"  "  About  two 
weeks  ago,"  was  the  answer.  "  I  knew  by  your  actions," 
said  Taylor,  "  that  you  had  just  come,  and  had  not  learned 
how  to  behave  yourself.  You  seem  to  think  that  we  are  a 
set  of  heathen  here  in  California,  and  that  you  can  cut  up  as 
you  please.  Let  me  tell  you  that  all  classes  here  respect  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  fellow  who  disturbs  a 
preacher  in  the  exercise  of  his  duty  may  expect  even  the 
gamblers  to  give  him  a  licking." 

Saving  Men.  Taylor's  courage  and  earnestness  made  him 
respected  and  loved.  He  went  into  the  city  hospital  where 
men  were  ill  and  dying  away  from  home  and  friends  and  often 
cruelly  neglected.  He  visited  men  in  their  shacks  and  tents, 
he  talked  with  them  on  the  streets,  rode  long  miles  through 
swollen  rivers  and  over  mountains,  all  for  the  sake  of  saving 
men  from  their  sins,  in  the  true  spirit  of  Jesus  Christ.  Years 
afterward,  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  he  kept  meeting  men 
who  had  heard  him  preach  in  San  Francisco,  and  who  told  him 
with  gratitude  of  the  influence  he  had  had  in  making  them 
better  men.  But  God  had  a  still  wider  work  for  him  to  do, 
and  soon  called  him  to  it. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story  and  answer  the  following  questions. 

2.  What  kind  of  people  were  William  Taylor's  grand- 
parents and  parents? 

3.  What  traits  of  character  might  one  expect  in  a  man  with 
such  ancestry  ? 

4.  How  did  William  show  his  honesty? 

5.  How  did  he  want  people  to  estimate  him? 

6.  How  did  Paul  want  to  be  judged?     (1  Cor.  4:1.) 

7.  How  did  Taylor  win  the  respect  and  confidence  of  men? 

8.  What  kind  of  place  was  San  Francisco  in  1849,  and 
what  sort  of  work  did  Mr.  Taylor  have  to  do  there? 

9.  The  chief  material  for  a  study  of  William  Taylor's  life 
is  found  in  the  books  written  by  himself,  such  as  The  Story 
of  my  Life  and  Seven   Years'  Street  Preaching  in  San  Fran- 


Thirty  three  William  Taylor  161 

cisco.  These,  however,  are  out  of  print,  and  may  not  readily 
be  found.  A  short  but  entertaining  sketch  is  given  in  Robert 
E.  Speer's  Servants  of  the  King. 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

10.  Write  a  short  story  of  William  Taylor's  early  life,  mentioning 
the  things  that  seem  most  important  in  his  life  and  work. 

11.  If  you  can  find  an  outline  map  of  the  world  to  paste  in  your 
book,  begin  to  mark  on  it  with  a  red  cross  the  places  where  Taylor 
worked.     If  not,  make  a  list  of  the  places. 

MEMORY  WORK, 

Learn  Psalm  26: 1-7. 


Lesson  33.     WILLIAM  TAYLOR.     A  World-wide  Herald  of 

the  Cross. 

"  They  that  are  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament; 
and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  for  ever  and 
ever."     Dan.  12:  3. 

Foreign  Missionary  Work.  In  18G2  Mr.  Taylor  was  called 
to  work  in  Australia.  He  visited  England  on  the  way,  and 
was  surprised  to  find  the  free  use  of  w4ne  at  dinners,  even  by 
the  clergy.  He  soon  became  knovx^n  as  an  absolute  abstainer 
from  liquor  as  a  beverage.  He  also  attracted  much  attention 
by  a  pamphlet  which  he  wrote  explaining  the  position  of  the 
North  in  the  Civil  War,  which  helped  to  form  public  opinion 
in  England  favorable  to  the  Union. 

In  Australia  crowds  of  people  came  to  hear  him  preach. 
One  night,  when  the  church  was  crowded  to  its  utmost  limit, 
some  one  in  the  audience  gave  a  loud  shriek.  The  people 
sprang  to  their  feet,  one  man  jumped  over  the  gallery  rail, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  a  dangerous  panic  was  about  to  take  place. 
Instantly  Mr.  Taylor  began  to  sing: 

"  Hear  the  royal  proclamation, 

The  glad  tidings  of  salvation, 

Publishing  to  every  creature, 

To  the  ruined  sons  of  nature, 

Jesus  reigns." 

A  second  and  third  verse  followed,  and  by  that  time  the  audi- 
ence had  quieted  down,  and  the  panic  was  prevented 


162  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^"''^ 

The  Orange  Peddler's  Gratitude.  A  collection  was  being 
taken  for  a  new  church  in  Mudgee,  Australia.  Many  business 
men  had  given  from  ten  to  fifty  pounds,  when  an  orange 
peddler  walked  up  the  aisle  carrying  a  bag.  Facing  the  people, 
he  told  the  story  of  his  conversion  and  salvation  from  a  life 
that  was  ruining  him  body  and  soul.  "  God  has  prospered 
me  since,"  he  said,  "  and  to-day  I  want  to  give  my  earnings 
to  Him  as  a  thank-offering."  He  emptied  the  bag  on  the 
table,  and  when  counted  it  was  found  to  amount  to  two 
hundred  and  fifty  sovereigns  ($1210.00). 

Work  in  Africa.  In  1866,  after  visiting  his  family,  whom 
he  had  not  seen  for  four  years,  Mr.  Taylor  went  to  Africa  to 
work  among  the  natives,  especially  the  Kaffirs.  He  did  a 
splendid  work  among  these  wild  people,  and  in  their  un- 
civilized state  they  were  wild  enough  to  tax  all  the  courage 
and  patience  of  any  man. 

Kaffir  Customs.  They  were  very  superstitious,  believing  in 
witchcraft  and  all  sorts  of  demons.  Hundreds  of  lives  have 
been  sacrificed  to  this  superstition.  When  witchcraft  is 
suspected,  the  people  will  go  to  the  hut  of  the  priest  and  form 
a  circle.  The  men  begin  to  beat  their  drums  and  strike  their 
spears  together,  and  the  women  hum  and  shout  and  clap  their 
hands.  Soon  the  priest  springs  into  the  circle  and  prances 
about  with  the  wildest  sort  of  gestures.  The  din  grows 
louder,  until  finally  the  priest  retires  to  a  part  of  the  circle 
where  his  immediate  friends  stand  and  names  the  person 
who  has  wrought  the  witchcraft.  The  unfortunate  victim 
is  then  seized  and  tied  to  a  stake  near  a  blazing  fire,  or  tied 
down  to  a  tree  ants'  nest,  to  be  stung  by  their  poisonous  bites. 
He  is  then  tortured  until  he  confesses  something,  and  then 
he  is  put  to  death  for  witchcraft.  There  is  not  much  hope  for 
him  either  way.  This  is  called  "  smelling  out  the  witch." 
Their  chieftains  are  cruel  and  bloodthirsty,  the  tribes  are 
constantly  at  war  one  with  another,  and  thousands  of  lives 
are  thrown  away,  until  Christianity  comes  in  to  change  their 
hearts  and  lives. 

Some  Native  Heroes.  Some  of  these  wild  men,  however, 
show  traits  that  would  put  some  civilized  people  to  shame. 
An  Englishman  once  employed  a  boatman  to  take  him  and 
his  family  ashore  from  a  ship.  The  charge  was  thirteen  dol- 
lars.    The    Englishman    protested    that   it   was   too    much. 


Thirty-three  William  Taylor  163 

"  I  cannot  help  that,"  was  the  reply;  "  that  is  the  regular 
price."  The  next  day  the  boatman  came  to  the  English- 
man's door.  **  You  made  a  mistal^e  in  paying  me  yester- 
day," said  he.  "  No,  I  didn't,"  replied  the  Englishman. 
"  You  charged  me  thirteen  dollars,  and  I  paid  you,  and  you 
don't  get  anything  more."  "  But,"  said  the  boatman,  "  I 
meant  Dutch  rix-doUars,  and  you  have  paid  me  about  three 
times  too  much,  and  I  have  brought  the  balance  back  to 
you." 

A  native  convert  in  the  Orange  River  country  went  out 
with  two  companions  to  hunt  a  man-eating  lion  that  had 
made  much  trouble  about  their  kraal.  The  lion  surprised 
them,  and  they  ran  for  their  lives.  The  Christian  thought, 
as  he  ran,  "  I  am  better  prepared  to  die  than  my  companions, 
for  they  are  not  Christians."  He  stopped,  faced  about  and 
stood  between  his  friends  and  the  lion.  His  gun  missed  fire, 
the  lion  struck  him  down  and  would  have  killed  him  had  not 
his  friends  stopped  when  they  saw  him  fall,  and  shot  the  lion. 
As  it  was,  he  received  scars  that  he  carried  till  his  death. 
Mr.  Taylor  felt  it  a  joy  and  an  honor  to  work  for  men  who 
had  so  much  of  good  in  them. 

In  Other  Lands.  Mr  Taylor  next  went  to  the  East  and 
West  Indies  and  to  India.  There  is  not  space  to  tell  of  all 
his  adventures  and  the  things  he  did.  •  He  carried  into  his 
mission  work  the  same  spirit  of  sturdy  self-reliance  that  he 
had  always  shown,  and  became  famous  as  the  man  who 
established  self-supporting  and  independent  churches  and 
schools  in  foreign  lands,  instead  of  keeping  them  as  missions 
supported  by  the  society  in  America.  This  helped  to  cultivate 
the  spirit  of  self-reliance  in  the  natives  also  and  made  them 
stronger  and  better  men.  Mr.  Taylor  himself  would  accept 
no  pay  for  his  own  work,  but  supported  himself  by  the  sale 
of  his  books,  of  which  he  wrote  many,  and  by  the  work  of  his 
hands.  Wherever  he  went,  he  drew  people  about  him  in  great 
crowds,  eager  to  hear  his  message,  and  many  found  the  way 
into  a  life  of  great  peace  and  joy  and  usefulness. 

A  Hindu's  Testimony.  An  English  officer  once  met  a 
Hindu  at  a  meeting,  and  said  to  him,  '*  What  have  you  come 
here  for?"  '*  To  hear  Padri  Taylor,  sahib."  "  He's  not  a 
Hindu;  why  do  you  come  to  hear  him?"  **  Well,  sahib, 
there  is  something  very  mysterious  going  on   here.     Many 


164  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^on 

men  whom  I  knew  to  be  drunkards,  swearers,  and  dishonest 
men — tyrannical  men,  too,  always  abusing  the  natives  in 
their  employ — have  been  entirely  changed  in  these  meetings. 
They  are  now  teetotalers,  honest  and  true  in  their  dealings, 
and  speak  only  words  of  kindness  to  every  one.  Instead  of 
hating  and  abusing  their  servants,  they  show  real  love  and 
sympathy  for  them  and  try  to  do  them  good.  This  kind  of 
work  is  going  on  all  the  time  at  Padri  Taylor's  meetings. 
I  don't  understand  it,  but  I  feel  so  anxious  to  know  more 
about  it,  that  I  cannot  keep  away." 

Settling  a  Dispute.  Mr.  Taylor  came  to  one  district  where 
the  preacher  welcomed  him  with  great  heartiness,  saying, 
"  You  are  just  in  the  nick  of  time.  There  is  a  serious  mis- 
understanding between  some  of  the  people,  and  we  have  a 
bad  quarrel  on  our  hands.  Perhaps  you  can  help  us."  Mr. 
Taylor  began  holding  meetings,  and  the  people  got  their 
better  natures  uppermost,  and  the  quarrel  disappeared. 
The  minister  was  delighted,  and  several  times  he  spoke  of 
the  matter  and  brought  up  the  subject  of  dispute  in  the 
presence  of  others.  Finally  Mr.  Taylor  told  him  a  story: 
"A  man  once  killed  an  opossum.  He  buried  it,  and  then 
a  neighbor  saw  him  go  and  dig  up  the  carcass  and  pound  it. 
Every  two  or  three  days  he  would  dig  up  that  opossum  and 
maul  it  again.  Finally  the  neighbor  said,  *  See  here,  you 
killed  that  opossum  once;  what  do  you  keep  digging  him  up 
again  for?'  The  man  replied,  '  I  want  to  mellow  him.' 
Now,"  said  Mr.  Taylor,  **  you  have  killed  this  quarrel.  Let 
it  stay  buried." 

South  America  and  Home.  South  America  was  Mr.  Tay- 
lor's next  field  of  labor,  and  there  he  founded  a  number  of 
self-supporting  schools  and  centers  for  evangelistic  work, 
traveling  eleven  thousand  miles  in  the  work.  In  1878  he 
sailed  for  New  York  to  spend  some  time  in  this  country 
looking  for  teachers  for  the  new  schools.  In  1884,  at  the 
General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  church,  he  was  elected 
as  missionary  bishop  of  Africa.  This  meant  another  long 
separation  from  his  wife  and  family,  something  which  both 
he  and  they  felt  keenly.  A  friend  once  said  to  Mrs.  Taylor, 
"  I  cannot  but  feel  hardly  of  Mr.  Taylor  for  going  away  and 
lea.ving  you  so  long."  To  which  the  brave  little  woman 
replied,   "  Well,   doctor,   he   never  went   away  without   my 


Thirty-three  William  Taylor  165 

consent,  or  stayed  longer  than  I  allowed  him  to  stay;  and  if 
I  don't  complain,  I  don't  think  any  one  else  has  a  right  to." 
So  Bishop  Taylor  went  back  to  Africa,  landing  at  St.  Paul 
de  Loanda,  where  Livingstone  came  out  upon  the  west  coast. 
He  pushed  on  into  the  interior  and  estabhshed  mission 
stations  all  along  the  Congo  River,  where  many  and  many 
a  poor  black  man  has  found  the  light  of  God  and  the  love  of 
Jesus  Christ,  to  brighten  and  ennoble  his  life. 

In  1896,  Bishop  Taylor  retired  from  active  work  and  came 
home  to  spend  his  closing  years  among  those  whom  he  loved. 
He  died  in  Palo  Alto,  California,  only  a  few  days  after  his 
eighty-first  birthday.  In  those  eighty-one  years  he  had 
carried  the  good  tidings  of  God's  love  to  men  in  nearly  every 
land,  and  no  one  will  ever  know  how  many  lives  he  had  been 
the  means  of  lifting  out  of  ignorance  and  sin  into  Christian 
manhood  and  womanhood. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Review  the  last  lesson  and  read  this  one  so  as  to  get  the 
whole  story  in  mind. 

2.  Name  the  countries  in  which  Mr.  Taylor  worked. 

3.  Tell  of  some  incidents  that  show  the  value  of  his  work. 

4.  Of  what  incident  in  the  life  of  Jesus  does  the  story  of 
the  peddler  remind  one?     (See  Mk.  12:41-44;  Lu.  21:1-4.) 

5.  Name  some  incidents  that  show  the  value  of  Mr.  Tay- 
lor's work  among  the  heathen. 

6.  What  led  the  Hindu  to  respect  his  work?  What  promise 
of  Jesus  was  fulfilled  in  the  experience  of  these  converts  (Acts 

1:8)? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

7.  Continue  the  story  of  Taylor's  life  and  the  marking  of  the  map 
or  list  of  countries  in  which  he  worked. 

8.  Write  down  any  incidents  you  may  know  about,  which  show 
the  power  of  Christ's  teachings  to  make  people  noticeably  better. 

9.  Illustrate  your  note-book  work  with  any  pictures  you  can  find 
that  seem  to  you  appropriate  to  the  story, 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  following  hymn : 

"  Jesus  shall  reign  where'er  the  sun 
Does  his  successive  journeys  run; 
His  kingdom  stretch  from  shore  to  shore. 
Till  moons  shall  wax  and  wane  no  more. 


166  «    Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^^n 

"  People  and  realms  of  every  tongue 
Dwell  on  His  name  with  sweetest  song; 
And  infant  voices  shall  proclaim 
Their  early  blessings  on  His  name. 

"  Blessings  abound  where'er  He  reigns; 
The  prisoner  leaps  to  lose  his  chains; 
The  weary  find  eternal  rest, 
And  all  the  sons  of  want  are  blest. 

"  Let  every  creature  rise  and  bring 
Peculiar  honors  to  our  King; 
Angels  descend  with  songs  again, 
And  earth  repeat  the  loud  Amen." 


Lesson  34.    JOHN  G.  PATON.    A  Preacher  of  the  Gospel  to 

Cannibals. 

Born  May  24,  1824;  died  Jan.  28.  1907. 

"  A  good  man  leaveth  an  inheritance  to  his  children's  children."' 
Prov.  13:22. 

A  Scottish  Home.  Look  at  a  map  of  Scotland  and  find  the 
town  of  Dumfries,  on  the  River  Nith,  a  few  miles  north  of  the 
upper  end  of  Solway  Firth.  Then  turn  to  a  map  of  Oceania, 
in  the  West  Pacific  Ocean,  and  find  the  New  Hebrides,  a  part 
of  the  chain  of  islands  known  as  Melanesia.  Among  the  New 
Hebrides  you  will  find  two  islands  named  Tanna  and  Aniwa. 
Link  these  names  together  in  your  memory,  as  in  God's  plan 
they  were  joined  together,  for  on  the  farm  of  Braehead,  near 
Dumfries,  was  born  the  man  who  was  destined  to  be  the 
messenger  of  Christ's  light  and  love  to  the  degraded  cannibals 
living  on  these  far-away  islands  of  the  Pacific. 

John  Paton's  parents,  James  and  Janet  Rogerson  Paton, 
were  of  that  fine  old  type  of  godly  Scottish  folk  to  whom  the 
world  owes  so  much.  They  moved  when  John  was  but  five 
years  old  to  the  town  of  Torthorwald,  a  village  of  happy, 
hardy,  thrifty  people  whose  children  were  taught  in  the  parish 
school,  and  made  to  understand  that  brains  and  character 
make  the  world's  true  aristocracy.  John  grew  up  here  in  the 
midst  of  a  country  of  grea.t  natural  beauty,  and  reminded  on 


TMtty-four  John  G.  Paton  167 

every  side  of  the  tales  of  the  Bruce  and  other  stories  of  border 
warfare.  And  these  stories  were  told  over  and  over  again  by- 
village  patriarchs  about  the  peat  fire,  while  John  and  the 
other  boys  listened  with  wide  eyes  and  swelling  hearts. 

A  Good  Father.  Dearest  of  all  the  memories  of  those  early 
days  were  those  of  the  kindly,  yet  firm  discipline  of  his  father, 
and  the  sacred  closet  where  he  used  to  go  every  day  for  prayer. 
The  children  learned  to  step  softly  and  reverently  past  that 
closed  door  from  behind  which  they  could  hear  their  father 
praying  for  them,  that  they  might  grow  to  an  honorable  and 
useful  manhood  and  womanhood.  They  learned,  too,  to  love 
and  reverence  the  family  worship  and  the  house  of  God.  It 
was  said  that  James  Paton  never  missed  attendance  at 
church  but  three  times:  once  when  the  snow  was  too  deep  to 
get  through,  once  by  ice  that  forced  him  to  crawl  back  up 
the  hill  on  hands  and  knees  after  getting  part  way  down  with 
many  falls,  and  once  when  an  epidemic  of  cholera  made  it 
necessary  for  all  public  gatherings  to  be  given  up. 

A  Harsh  Teacher.  John  Paton 's  schooling  was  interrupted 
in  an  unfortunate  manner.  He  had  a  teacher  in  whom  a 
really  kind  heart  was  combined  with  a  hasty  and  ungoverned 
temper.  His  kindness  of  heart  was  shown  by  the  way  in 
which  he  supplied  one  of  John's  needs.  Noticing  that  the  lad 
was  not  so  well  dressed  as  the  others,  and  concluding  that  new 
suits  were  not  so  plentiful  in  his  home  as  in  some,  he  went 
quietly  one  evening  while  the  family  were  at  worship,  softly 
opened  the  outer  door,  put  in  a  bundle,  and  withdrew.  John 
rushed  out  after  the  prayer  and  found  a  new  suit  of  warm  and 
good  clothes.  But  when  this  teacher  allowed  his  temper  to 
get  the  better  of  him,  he  would  punish  with  great  severity, 
and  often  unjustly.  After  John  had  suffered  one  such 
experience,  when  twelve  years  old,  he  left  the  school,  and 
could  not  be  induced  to  enter  it  again.  That  teacher's  un- 
governed temper  might  easily  have  cost  the  world  a  great  man. 

A  Tempting  Offer.  John  was  determined  to  have  an  edu- 
cation. He  learned  his  father's  trade,  stocking  making, 
worked  hard,  saved  his  money,  and  went  for  a  time  to  the 
Dumfries  Academy.  Then  he  found  employment  on  the 
Ordnance  Survey,  and  used  his  spare  time  on  his  books.  A 
lieutenant  noticed  this,  and  called  him  before  the  officers,  who 


i68  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^^^ 

offered  him  promotion  and  training  at  the  expense  of  the 
government,  if  he  would  sign  for  seven  years  of  service.  This 
he  declined,  for  his  mind  was  already  made  up  that  he  would 
become  a  missionary  if  he  could  possibly  obtain  an  educa- 
tion. The  lieutenant  became  very  angry  and  told  him  either 
to  accept  or  be  dismissed.  Paton  replied  that  he  could  not 
turn  aside  from  the  work  to  which  he  believed  God  had  called, 
took  his  pay  and  left. 

Life  in  Glasgow.  Soon  after  this  he  obtained  an  appoint- 
ment as  visitor  for  a  church  in  Glasgow  with  the  opportunity 
for  further  study  and  training.  He  walked  forty  miles  to  the 
railroad,  with  all  his  belongings  tied  up  in  a  large  hand- 
kerchief. In  Glasgow  he  found  hard  work  and  plenty  of  it. 
His  health  gave  out  after  a  time,  and  he  had  to  give  up  his 
study  for  a  while  and  go  to  teaching  school.  Saving  up  a 
little  money  from  this,  he  entered  college,  but  soon  had  to 
stop  again  for  lack  of  money.  Just  at  this  time  he  obtained 
a  position  as  teacher  of  the  Maryhill  Free  Church  School. 
He  was  warned  that  it  was  a  tough  job.  The  school  had  been 
well-nigh  broken  up  by  rowdies  who  had  abused  and  driven 
away  several  teachers.  Mr.  Paton  was  given  a  heavy  cane 
and  advised  to  use  it  freely.  The  second  week,  a  young  man 
began  attending  the  evening  classes  who  showed  by  his  ac- 
tions that  he  was  there  only  for  the  sake  of  making  trouble. 
Mr.  Paton  warned  him  to  be  quiet,  but  he  only  returned  in- 
solent answers  and  offered  to  fight.  Mr.  Paton  quietly  locked 
the  door,  seized  the  cane,  and  went  after  his  man.  The 
struggle  was  rough  and  long,  but  it  ended  with  the  bully 
crouching  at  his  desk,  thoroughly  whipped.  Mr.  Paton  then 
made  a  short  speech  to  the  school,  saying  that  he  was  there 
to  help  in  every  way  possible  those  who  wished  to  learn,  but 
that  those  who  came  only  for  mischief  had  better  stay  away, 
as  he  was  determined  that  he  would  not  be  beaten.  Another 
struggle  took  place  the  next  morning,  this  time  with  two  of  the 
bigger  boys  of  the  day  school,  and  then  thrashings  ceased. 
The  pupils  found  that  the  new  teacher  was  master.  They 
also  found  that  he  preferred  to  rule  by  friendly  methods 
rather  than  by  force.  The  school  grew  larger  than  ever  before, 
and  some  of  those  who  had  been  the  worst  to  manage  became 
Mr.  Paton *s  warmest  supporters. 

City  Mission  Work.     Mr.  Paton 's  next  work  was  in  con- 


Thirty -J  OUT 


John  G.  Paton 


169 


nection  with  the  Glasgow  City  Mission,  taking  him  into  one  of 
the  worst  sections  of  the  city,  among  drunkards,  thieves,  and 
generally  degraded  characters.  His  work  consisted  in  visiting 
from  house  to  house,  gathering  the  people  together  for  meet- 
ings and  Bible  classes,  helping  those  who  were  sick  or  in 
distress,  and  trying  to  bring  light  and  cheer  into  lives  that 
were  otherwise  dark  enough.  The  work  grew  steadily,  but 
not  without  opposition  and  many 
adventures.  The  keepers  of  the 
public  houses,  or  saloons,  found 
that  the  open-air  meetings  were 
spoiling  their  trade,  and,  when  they 
learned  that  a  large  meeting  w^as  to 
be  held,  they  went  to  the  police 
captain  and  entered  a  complaint. 
The  captain  promised  to  watch  the 
meeting  and  see  that  no  injustice 
was  done.  The  publicans  spread 
the  w^ord  that  there  would  be  fun 
at  the  meeting,  and  assembled  a 
gang  of  their  hangers-on  to  watch 
the  proceedings.  At  the  hour  for 
beginning,  a  squad  of  police  arrived  and  were  distributed 
through  the  crowd,  and  the  captain  himself  appeared,  taking 
a  seat  on  the  platform  where  he  could  see  everything  that 
went  on.  The  publicans  were  trapped.  They  dared  not  start 
any  disturbance,  nor  could  they  very  well  leave  the  meeting 
to  which  they  themselves  had  asked  him  to  come,  so  they 
stayed  through,  and  for  once  in  their  lives  listened  to  a  ser- 
mon, which  they  doubtless  needed  greatly. 

The  Call  of  the  Foreign  Field.  All  this  time,  Mr.  Paton  was 
spending  his  spare  hours  in  study,  trying  to  fit  himself  for 
better  work.  All  the  while,  too,  he  felt  in  his  heart  the  call 
to  the  foreign  missionary  field.  Finally  the  way  opened 
through  a  call  for  a  helper  in  the  New  Hebrides.  Mr.  Paton 
and  his  wife  offered  themselves,  and  on  April  16,  1858,  they 
sailed  by  way  of  Melbourne,  Australia,  to  Aneityum,  one  of 
the  New  Hebrides,  where  successful  missionary  Avork  was 
being  carried  on.  The  voyage  from  Melbourne  to  Aneityum 
was  not  only  disagreeable  but  perilous.  It  was  made  in  a 
trading  ship  whose  captain  was  profane  ar.J  brutal.  When 
they  arrived  at  Aneityum,  the  captain  would  not  put  them 


Jolm  G.  Paton. 


170  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^«^ 

ashore  in  his  own  boats,  but  laid  by  off  the  island  until  the 
missionaries  came  off  in  the  mission  schooner  John  Knox. 
The  new  arrivals  were  transferred  to  this  boat  with  all  their 
boxes,  making  a  heavy  load  for  the  little  craft.  Just  as  the 
transfer  was  completed,  one  of  the  davits  of  the  trader  caught 
and  broke  the  mast  of  the  mission  schooner,  but  the  captain 
sailed  away,  leaving  the  overloaded  and  crippled  boat  to  its 
fate.  They  got  out  their  boats  and  tried  to  tow  the  John 
Knox  ashore,  but  there  was  a  stiff  wind  to  pull  against,  and 
they  drifted  steadily  toward  Tanna,  instead  of  making  head- 
way toward  Aneityum.  Had  they  gone  ashore  on  Tanna  at 
that  time,  their  goods  would  have  been  plundered  and  they 
themselves  killed  and  eaten  by  the  cannibal  savages.  But 
finally  their  plight  was  seen  by  others  on  shore,  and  more  boats 
came  to  their  rescue.  After  a  severe  struggle  they  finally 
landed  on  Aneityum  toward  evening. 

First  Impressions  of  Heathenism.  It  was  decided  that  a 
fresh  start  should  be  made  at  Christianizing  the  natives  on 
Tanna,  who  had  already  killed^  two  missionaries,  and  had 
driven  others  away.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Paton  went  to  Port 
Resolution  on  the  west  coast  of  that  island.  Their  first  im- 
pressions of  life  on  Tanna  must  have  convinced  them  more 
than  ever  of  the  need  of  the  Gospel.  The  savages  were 
naked,  except  for  paint,  filthy,  degraded,  and  fierce  as  so 
many  wild  animals.  The  various  tribes  were  constantly 
fighting  one  with  another. 

On  their  arrival  the  Patons  found  that  war  was  going  on 
between  the  harbor  people  and  the  inland  people.  There 
had  been  a  battle,  and  several  men  had  been  killed.  Toward 
evening,  the  Aneityum  boy  who  had  come  with  them  to  act  as 
cook,  returned  from  the  spring,  saying,  "  Missi,  this  is  a  dark 
land.  At  the  spring  they  have  cooked  and  feasted  upon  the 
slain.  They  have  washed  the  blood  into  the  stream;  they 
have  bathed  there  till  all  the  waters  are  red.  I  cannot  get 
water  to  make  your  tea."  Not  a  cheering  prospect,  but  these 
brave  pioneers  asked  God  for  help,  and  determined  to  do  what 
they  could,  with  His  help,  to  let  light  into  this  dark  land. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story.  You  should  also  read  Mr.  Paton's 
autobiography,  edited  by  his  brother,  Rev.  James  Paton,  or 


Thirty. five  y^/^„  Q     Patou  171 

else  The  Story  of  John  G.  Paton,  written  by  the  same  brother 
especially  for  young  folks.  Both  arc  full  of  most  interesting 
adventures. 

2.  Where  was  Mr.  Paton  born? 

3.  What  kind  of  home  did  he  have  as  a  boy? 

4.  How  was  his  early  schooling  interrupted? 

5.  What  does  the  wise  man  say  about  a  hasty  temper  in 
Prov.  29:20,  22? 

6.  What  ideal  for  his  life-work  did  John  Paton  form? 

7.  How  was  he  tempted  to  abandon  this  ideal? 

8.  How  did  he  meet  the  temptation? 

9.  Tell   about   his  experiences   as   a  teacher   and  in  city 
mission  work  in  Glasgow. 

10.  Where  did  Mr.  Paton  find  his  Hfe-work? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

1 1 .  Write  a  short  account  of  Mr.  Paton's  early  life  and  work,  illustra- 
ting it  with  his  picture  (Perry  Picture  No.  2579). 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Proverbs  8:1-11,  in  praise  of  wisdom.     Note  how  earnestly 
and  persistently  John  G.  Paton  carried  out  the  spirit  of  vs.  10. 


Lesson  35.    JOHN  G.  PATON.    The  Hero  of  the  New 

Hebrides. 

"Who  through  faith  subdued  kingdoms, '  wrought  righteousness, 
obtained  promises."     Heb.  11:33. 

A  Religion  of  Fear.  The  Patons  found  many  of  the  same 
kind  of  superstitious  notions  among  the  natives  of  Tanna 
as  Bishop  Taylor  found  in  Africa,  or  Carey  and  Judson  in 
India.  These  people  lived  in  constant  fear  of  witches,  demons, 
and  all  sorts  of  bugaboos.  To  them  almost  any  spring  or 
tree  or  rock  might  be  the  haunt  of  a  spirit  that  could  do  them 
deadly  injury  if  angered.  They  never  dared  to  go  out  into 
the  woods  by  night  for  fear  of  some  spirit.  Their  whole  life 
was  one  of  fear,  and  these  superstitions  led  to  the  same  horrid 
cruelties  in  the  way  of  sacrifices  that  we  have  already  found 
among  other  savage  people. 


172  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^ 

A  Bitter  Affliction.  Almost  at  the  beginning  of  his  work, 
Mr.  Paton  was  called  to  meet  a  heavy  sorrow  in  the  loss  of 
his  beloved  wife,  who  fell  a  victim  to  the  deadly  malarial 
fever  which  poisoned  the  air  on  the  marshy  coast  of  Tanna. 
Sadly  he  laid  her,  with  the  little  babe  who  had  also  died,  in  a 
grave  built  round  with  coral  blocks.  When  we  realize  how 
hard  it  is  to  bear  such  sorrow  when  at  home  surrounded  by 
loving  friends  who  express  their  sympathy,  we  can  imagine 
how  doubly  hard  it  was  for  Mr.  Paton,  in  that  lonely  place, 
surrounded  by  savages,  most  of  whom  would  gladly  have 
taken  his  life,  if  they  had  dared. 

Brazen  Thievery.  It  was  discouraging  work  trying  to  teach 
the  natives  anything  good.  They  were  incorrigible  thieves. 
They  would  come  into  Mr.  Paton's  house  and  carry  off  any- 
thing they  liked,  often  before  his  very  eyes,  threatening  him 
with  a  tomahawk  if  he  made  any  opposition.  If  any  small 
article  were  lying  on  the  floor,  a  Tannaman  would  cover  it 
with  his  foot  and  deftly  seize  it  with  his  toes,  walking  off  in 
the  most  innocent  manner  possible.  This  went  on  until  the 
matter  got  very  serious.  The  natives  had  carried  off  his 
cooking  utensils  and  many  things  without  which  he  simply 
could  not  live  comfortably. 

One  day,  however,  a  number  of  them  came  rushing  to  him, 
crying  out,  **  Missi,  missi,  come  quick.  There  is  a  god,  or  a 
ship  on  fire,  or  something  of  fear,  coming  over  the  sea !  What 
is  it?     What  is  it?" 

Mr.  Paton  replied,  "  I  cannot  come  at  once.  I  must  first 
dress  in  my  best  clothes.  It  is  probably  one  of  queen  Vic- 
toria's men-of-war,  coming  to  see  if  your  conduct  is  good  or 
bad,  if  you  are  stealing  my  property,  or  threatening  my  life, 
or  how  you  are  using  me." 

Very  soon  two  of  the  chiefs  came  running:  "  Missi,  will  it 
be  a  man-of-war?" 

"  Very  likely  it  will,"  was  the  answer. 

**  And  will  he  ask  if  we  have  been  stealing?" 

*•  Very  likely  he  will." 

**  And  will  you  tell  him?" 

**  I  shall  have  to  tell  him  the  truth." 

**  Oh,  missi,  tell  him  not.  Everything  shall  be  brought 
back." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Mr.  Paton;  "  call  your  men,  and  see  that 


ThiHy-five  John  G.  Paton  173 

everything  is  brought  back  at  once,  and  quickly,  before  the 
great  chief  comes." 

Hitherto  it  had  been  impossible  to  find  who  had  taken  his 
things.  No  one  knew,  but  now  they  appeared  from  every 
side,  running  in  mad  haste,  one  with  a  kettle,  others  with  a 
blanket,  knives,  forks,  spoons,  all  sorts  of  stolen  property 
which  they  piled  on  the  mission  house  floor.  The  approach 
of  the  war-ship  had  a  marvelous  effect  in  quickening  their 
memories. 

Heathen  Whites.  In  addition  to  the  native  heathenism  by 
which  he  was  surrounded,  Mr.  Paton  had  also  to  meet  the 
consequences  of  heathenism  as  bad  on  the  part  of  white  men 
who  knew  better.  These  Pacific  islands  were  visited  by 
traders  from  England  and  America,  who  bought  sandalwood 
and  other  native  products,  paying  for  them  with  muskets, 
ammunition,  fishhooks  and  various  other  things.  They 
usually  cheated  the  natives  most  outrageously,  and  abused 
them  into  the  bargain.  They  taught  them  many  vicious 
habits  in  addition  to  those  they  already  knew,  and  carried 
many  of  them  away  into  slavery.  Once  a  trading  ship 
having  on  board  a  number  of  men  with  the  measles  landed 
them  at  several  points  among  the  natives,  knowing  well  that 
their  ignorance  and  lack  of  proper  means  for  the  treatment  of 
this  disease  makes  it  one  of  the  most  deadly  among  them. 
Hundreds  died  as  the  result  of  this  dastardly  act.  The  mis- 
sionaries, being  white  men,  were  often  charged  with  respon- 
sibility for  such  things  as  these.  In  fact,  anything  unusual 
or  disagreeable  was  Hkely  to  be  laid  at  the  door  of  the  mission- 
aries and  the  coming  of  "  the  worship." 

Exciting  Adventures.  As  a  consequence  of  this  prejudice, 
attacks  were  constantly  being  made  upon  Mr.  Paton  or  his 
associates.  Their  lives  were  never  really  safe,  and  they  were 
finally  driven  from  the  island  altogether.  One  evening,  while 
Mr.  Johnston,  a  young  missionary,  was  calling  at  Mr.  Paton's 
house,  two  men  armed  with  huge  clubs  and  with  faces  painted 
black,  came  asking  for  medicine  for  a  sick  boy.  Mr.  Paton 
felt  sure  that  murder  was  their  real  object,  and,  as  he  pre- 
pared the  medicine,  he  kept  his  eye  on  them.  Then  they  re- 
fused to  take  the  medicine,  and  stood  there,  each  grasping  his 
killing  stone.     Mr.  Johnston  was  just  going  out,  and  Mr 


174  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^<^^ 

Paton  faced  the  savages  fearlessly,  saying,  "  You  see  that  Mr. 
Johnston  is  going,  and  you  must  leave  too.  To-morrow  you 
can  bring  the  sick  boy,  or  come  back  for  the  medicine."  As 
Mr.  Johnston  left,  he  stooped  to  pick  up  a  kitten  that  had 
run  out  of  the  door.  Instantly  one  of  the  savages  struck  at 
him  with  his  club.  Dodging  the  blow,  Mr.  Johnston  fell  to  the 
ground  with  a  cry  of  warning  to  Mr.  Paton.  Facing  them 
again,  he  said  sternly,  "  What  do  you  want?"  They  instantly 
raised  their  clubs  and  aimed  blows  at  him,  when  his  two  dogs 
sprang  at  their  faces  and  made  the  blows  go  wild.  Mr.  Paton 
now  set  the  dogs  on  them  and  shouted,  "  Remember  Jehovah 
God  sees  you  and  will  punish  you  for  trying  to  murder  His 
servants  !"  The  men  fled,  and  were  joined  in  their  flight  by 
many  others  who  had  come  to  witness -and  take  part  in  the 
murder  and  plunder. 

Many  a  time  Mr.  Paton  was  threatened  by  savages  with 
tomahawk,  or  killing  stone,  or  war  club,  or  loaded  musket,  and 
often  he  would  rush  upon  the  savage  and  seize  his  weapon 
and  cling  to  it,  praying  to  God  for  deliverance  meanwhile;  and 
again  and  again  he  was  saved  providentially  and  almost 
miraculously  from  what  seemed  like  certain  death.  It  is  hard 
for  us  who  live  in  the  midst  of  order  and  safety  even  to  imagine 
what  such  a  life  as  this  would  be  like,  surrounded  by  peril  on 
every  side,  by  day  and  by  night.  But  we  can  imagine  the 
heroic  faith  in  God  and  love  for  mankind  which  kept  these 
men  at  their  post  under  such  conditions.  The  hostility  and 
danger  constantly  increased.  The  only  chief  who  was  at  all 
friendly  was  fickle,  and  often  joined  in  the  attacks  for  fear 
of  being  himself  attacked  by  others. 

A  Providential  Deliverance.  Mr.  Johnston  soon  died,  his 
wife  went  away  to  recover  her  health,  and  it  finally  became 
clear  to  Mr.  Paton  that  he  must  leave  the  house  where  he  had 
been  living  and  go  to  the  other  side  of  the  island,  where  the 
natives  were  less  savage.  With  a  few  faithful  native  Chris- 
tians, and  a  friendly  chief,  he  started  on  his  perilous  journey. 
Once  on  this  journey  they  were  surrounded  by  a  horde  of 
savages,  each  one  urging  the  other  to  fire  the  first  shot  or 
strike  the  first  blow.  It  seemed  as  if  their  end  had  certainly 
come.  But  Mr.  Paton  tells  that  even  in  that  moment  he 
realized  that  he  was  immortal  until  his  work  was  done.  The 
assurance  came  to  him,  as  if  a  voice  out  of  heaven  had  spoken, 


Tfiirty-nve  j^hn  G.  Patofl  175 

that  not  a  musket  would  be  fired  or  a  blow  struck.  From  out 
the  past  he  heard  that  promise,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway." 
They  reached  the  Mathiesons'  house  on  the  other  side  of  the 
island.  But  before  long  their  enemies  followed  them,  and  one 
night  surrounded  the  mission,  set  fire  to  the  church  and  then 
to  a  fence  connecting  the  church  and  the  dwelling-house. 
Soon  the  house  would  have  been  on  fire  and  all  would  have 
perished.  Mr.  Paton  bravely  went  out  with  a  hatchet  and 
began  to  chop  down  the  fence.  The  savages  leaped  upon  him 
with  their  clubs  raised,  when  suddenly  a  rushing  and  roaring 
sound  was  heard.  The  savages  knew  at  once  that  one  of  their 
terrible  tornadoes  was  upon  them.  In  a  moment  it  came  with 
a  furious  wind  and  torrents  of  rain,  blowing  the  flames  directly 
away  from  the  house  and  soon  quenching  them  altogether.  A 
panic  seized  the  natives.  Throwing  away  their  torches,  they 
cried  out,  "  Jehovah's  rain  !  Truly,  their  Jehovah  God  is 
fighting  for  them  and  helping  them!  Let  us  away!"  The 
next  day  a  ship  appeared  in  the  harbor  and  rescued  the 
missionaries,  taking  them  away  to  Aneityum,  where  the  na- 
tives were  friendly. 

Better  Days.  Mr.  Paton  spent  some  time  after  this  in 
Australia  and  in  Scotland,  speaking  in  the  churches  and 
Sunday  schools  and  raising  money  for  the  building  and  main- 
tenance of  a  missionary  ship  to  take  the  missionaries  from 
one  island  to  another  and  to  bring  supplies.  This  ship,  the 
Dayspring,  so  necessary  to  the  success  of  their  work,  was 
largely  paid  for  by  the  gifts  of  children  in  the  Sunday  schools, 
who  bought  shares  in  her.  When  he  returned  to  the  islands, 
he  took  up  his  work  on  the  island  of  Aniwa,  where  for  some 
time  he  went  through  experiences  almost  as  bad  as  those  on 
Tanna.  But  at  last  the  work  began  to  tell.  A  chief  named 
Namakei  finally  became  converted,  and  from  him  Chris- 
tianity spread  to  others. 

Rain  from  Below.  The  thing  that  seemed  to  turn  the  tide  in 
favor  of  Christianity  was  the  digging  of  a  well  and  finding 
fresh  water.  Good  drinking  water  was  much  needed  on  the 
island,  and  Mr.  Paton  determined  to  dig  a  well.  The  natives 
thought  him  crazy  when  he  told  them  that  he  expected  to  find 
fresh  water  by  digging  a  hole.  He  worked  on  in  prayer  and 
hope,  fearing  only  that  the  water  might  prove  salt.     But  at 


176  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^^ 

last  it  came  fresh  and  good.  The  savages  were  amazed,  and 
old  Namakei  preached  a  sermon  to  the  people  the  next 
Sabbath.  After  expressing  his  amazement  over  this  new 
marvel  of  rain  coming  up  out  of  the  earth,  he  said:  "  Some- 
thing here  in  my  heart  tells  me  that  Jehovah  God  lives,  the 
Invisible  One.  The  coral  has  been  removed,  the  earth  dug 
away,  and,  lo  !  the  water  rises.  Invisible  until  now,  it  was 
there,  but  our  eyes  were  too  weak  to  see  it.  So  I,  your  chief, 
do  now  believe  that  when  I  die  I  shall  then  see  the  invisible 
Jehovah  God,  as  missi  tells  me,  no  less  surely  than  I  now  see 
the  rain  from  the  earth  below.  The  gods  of  Aniwa  cannot 
hear,  cannot  help  us  like  the  God  of  missi.  Henceforth  I  am 
follower  of  Jehovah  God.  Let  every  man  that  thinks  with 
me  go  now  and  fetch  the  idols  of  Aniwa,  the  gods  which  our 
fathers  feared,  and  cast  them  down  at  missi 's  feet.  Let  us 
bum  and  bury  and  destroy  those  things  of  wood  and  stone, 
and  let  us  be  taught  by  the  missi  how  to  serve  the  God  who 
can  hear,  the  Jehovah  who  gave  us  the  well,  and  who  will  give 
us  every  other  blessing." 

This  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  life  for  Aniwa.  Chris- 
tianity spread  among  the  natives.  A  church  was  built,  the 
natives  working  at  it  as  a  labor  of  love.  Services  were  held 
regularly,  family  prayers  were  established.  The  natives 
stopped  stealing  and  fighting,  and  became  honest,  quiet  and 
peaceable,  until  the  whole  island  was  transformed. 

'  Naswai  Converted.  Mr.  Paton  loved  to  tell  of  the  changed 
characters  of  many  of  these  Aniwans.  One  of  them  was 
Naswai,  a  chief  who  had  long  held  out  against  the  worship, 
and  who  was  lazy  and  proud  and  hard.  After  he  became  con- 
verted he  was  particularly  set  against  any  form  of  lying  or 
deceit.  .  Mr.  Paton  used  to  let  out  work  to  him  at  a  fixed 
price.  Naswai  would  come  with  his  men,  do  the  work,  receive 
the  money  and  divide  it  up,  often  keeping  little  or  nothing 
for  himself.  Once  the  people  of  another  village  were  working 
for  Mr.  Paton,  and  Naswai  assisted  and  directed  them.  When 
they  were  paid  as  usual,  some  of  them  said,  "  Missi,  you  have 
paid  Naswai  nothing,  and  he  worked  as  hard  as  any  of  us." 
Naswai  turned  upon  him  in  a  dignified  way  and  said,  "  I  did 
not  work  for  pay.  Would  you  make  missi  pay  more  than  he 
promised?     Your  conduct  is  bad." 

Tanna  also  Christianized.     The  time  came  when  Mr.  Paton 


Thirty-nve  John  G.  Paton  VH 

had  the  great  joy  of  visiting  Tanna  where  he  had  suffered  so 
much  and  apparently  in  vain,  and  seeing  this  island,  too,  re- 
ceive the  Gospel  and  begin  to  change  into  a  civilized  and  Chris- 
tian community.  Men  who  once  had  sought  his  life  and 
driven  him  from  them  now  came  gladly  to  hear  his  words  and 
show  their  repentance  by  their  altered  lives.  And  so  John  G. 
Paton,  one  of  the  noblest  heroes  of  missionary  history,  lived 
to  realize  the  truth  of  that  old  prophecy:  "  He  will  not  fail  nor 
be  discouraged,  till  he  have  set  justice  in  the  earth;  and  the 
isles  shall  wait  for  his  law  "  (Is.  42:4). 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  again  the  last  lesson  story,  and  this  one.  Do  not 
fail  to  read  more  about  Mr.  Paton  in  one  of  the  books  men- 
tioned in  the  last  lesson.  No  missionary's  life  is  more  full  of 
interesting  incidents  and  thrilling  adventures. 

2.  What  had  taken  place  on  the  New  Hebrides  that  warned 
the  Patons  of  danger  in  going  there? 

3.  What  great  sorrow  did  Mr.  Paton  have  to  meet  in  the 
early  part  of  his  work  ? 

4.  How  was  Prov.  28 : 1  illustrated  at  the  time  of  the  coming 
of  the  war-ship  to  Tanna  ? 

5.  What  do  you  think  of  the  conduct  of  the  traders  as  com- 
pared with  that  of  the  natives  ? 

6.  Tell  about  some  of  Mr.  Paton's  adventures,  either  those 
in  the  story  or  others  of  which  you  have  read. 

7.  What  gave  him  confidence  in  danger?  Compare  Jo.  19: 
10,  ll,andPs.  91. 

8.  What  success  finally  crowned  this  brave  missionary's 
efforts? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

9.  Continue  the  story  of  Paton's  life  and  work,  continuing  the  inci- 
dents that  have  most  impressed  you  in  your  study.  Illustrate  the 
lesson  with  a  map  of  the  New  Hebrides,  and  mark  with  a  cross  the 
islands  where  Mr.  Paton  worked. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Psalm  91,  noting  how  well  it  expresses  the  spirit  of  confidence 
that  Mr.  Paton  possessed. 


178  Heroes  of  the  Faith 

Lesson  36.     REVIEW  OF  LESSONS  25-35. 

The  characters  studied  this  quarter  have  been  missionary 
heroes,  and  the  object  of  this  review  will  be  to  gather  up  the 
general  impressions  that  have  been  gained  about  missionaries 
and  their  work. 

Read  the  lesson  stories  all  through,  and  look  over  your 
note-book  work,  then  answer  the  following  questions  from 
memory  and  from  your  own  thought  about  the  subject,  writ- 
ing the  answers  in  your  note-book. 

1 .  Make  a  list  of  the  characters  studied,  with  the  name  of 
each,  nationality,  land  or  lands  where  he  worked,  and  special 
achievement.     For  example : 

Name     Nationality     Worked  in     Special  Achievement 
Paul  Jewish  Asia  Minor,  Founded  Christian 

Greece,  Rome  missions 

2.  Name  any  three  incidents  that  especially  interest  you  in 
this  quarter's  lessons,  and  tell  why  you  choose  each. 

3.  Judging  from  what  you  have  learned  in  these  studies, 
what  traits  of  character  does  the  foreign  missionary  need  in 
order  to  be  successful  ? 

4.  Name  some  things  that  the  missionary  should  be  able 
to  do. 

5.  What  practical  benefits  have  come  to  heathen  lands 
through  Christian  missions? 

6.  What  benefits  have  come  to  Christian  lands  through 
sending  out  missionaries  and  through  the  results  of  their  work? 

7.  Name  any  missionary  whom  you  know  personally,  or 
about  whom  you  know,  and  tell  something  about  him  or  her. 

8.  Review  in  the  "  Memory  Work  "  the  hymn  From  Green- 
land's Icy  Mountains,  or  Jesus  Shall  Reign,  also  1  Cor.  ch.  13, 
and  the  Twenty-sixth  Psalm. 


FOURTH  QUARTER 


Lesson  37.     JONATHAN.     Who  Valued  Friendship  above 
a  Throne. 

1  Sam.  chs.  16-20,  31;  2  Sam.  ch.  1.     About  b.  c.  1000. 

"  A  friend  loveth  at  all  times; 
And  a  brother  is  born  for  adversity."     Pro  v.  17:  17. 

A  Valiant  Warrior.  There  was  war  between  the  Philistines 
and  the  men  of  Israel.  King  Saul  had  gathered  about  him 
an  army  of  three  thousand  men,  and  Jonathan,  the  young 
prince,  with  a  thousand  of  these,  had  attacked  and  captured  the 
town  of  Gibeah.  But  when  the  Philistines  advanced  to  avenge 
this  blow,  the  greater  part  of  the  Israelites  lost  heart  and  fled, 
leaving  the  king  with  only  six  hundred  who  stood  their 
ground.  The  rest  ran  away  and  hid  themselves  in  caves 
and  among  the  rocks  of  Judea's  mountain  passes.  The 
Philistines,  finding  the  conquest 
easy,  divided  their  forces  into 
three  bands  and  began  to  plun- 
der and  rob  in  every  direc- 
tion. They  stationed  a  strong 
garrison  upon  the  rocky  heights 
on  the  north  side  of  the  deep 
valley  of  Michmash,  thus  guard- 
ing the  pass  up  into  the  interior 
of  the  country.  On  the  south 
side  of  the  pass  stood  Jonathan, 
looking  across  at  his  enemies  and 
seeing  his  late  triumph  turned  into 
defeat.  Suddenly  a  bold  plan  oc- 
curred to  him.  Turning  to  his 
armorbearer,  who  stood  near  by, 
he  said,  "  Let  us  go  over  to  the  gar- 
rison of  the  Philistines.  Perhaps  Jehovah  will  help  us,  for  He 
can  help  by  a  few  as  well  as  by  many.  Let  us  climb  up  on 
their  side  and  show  ourselves.  If  they  say  to  us,  *  Stand  still 
until  we  reach  you,'  then  we  will  stop;  but,  if  they  say, 
'Come  up  to  us,'  then  let  us  go,  and  trust  Jehovah  to  help 

179 


The  Pass  of  Michmash. 


180  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^«««- 

us."  "All  right,  I  am  with  you,"  said  the  young  man. 
Without  a  word  to  any  one  they  slipped  down  into  the  valley 
and  clambered  on  hands  and  knees  up  the  steep  rocks  on 
the  other  side.  Some  of  the  enemy  saw  them,  and  said  one 
to  another,  "  See  there  !  There  are  some  of  those  Hebrews 
coming  out  of  the  holes,  where  they  hid  themselves."  Then, 
raising  their  voices,  they  shouted  mockingly  to  Jonathan  and 
his  companion,  "  Come  up  here,  and  we  will  show  you  some- 
thing." Then  Jonathan  said  to  his  armorbearer:  "  Come 
on,  we  will  go,  for  Jehovah  is  with  us."  Up  they  went,  and 
fell  upon  the  surprised  Philistines  with  such  boldness  and 
impetuosity  that  almost  before  they  knew  what  had  happened 
twenty  of  their  number  lay  dead.  To  add  to  their  terror, 
an  earthquake  shook  the  mountain  and  threw  them  into  a 
panic. 

A  Remarkable  Victory.  Meanwhile,  Saul  and  the  remnant 
of  his  army,  encamped  across  the  valley,  heard  the  noise  and 
saw  the  confusion  in  the  Philistine  garrison.  They  knew 
nothing  of  the  cause,  but  saw  an  opportunity  to  strike,  and 
immediately  rushed  down,  crossed  the  valley,  climbed  up 
on  the  opposite  side,  fell  upon  their  foes,  and  defeated  them 
with  great  slaughter.  And  when  the  whole  story  was  told, 
prince  Jonathan  became  a  popular  hero  among  the  men  of 
Israel. 

An  Afflicted  King.  About  this  time  king  Saul  was  afflicted 
with  a  strange  malady.  A  great  melancholy  and  depression 
of  spirit  would  come  over  him  every  little  while.  The  people 
thought  that  he  was  possessed  by  an  evil  spirit.  The  only 
thing  that  seemed  to  help  him  was  the  sweet  music  of  a  young 
shepherd  lad,  David,  whose  name  is  familiar  to  us  all. 

Another  Brave  Champion.  Young  David  was  not  only  a 
skilful  musician,  but  a  brave  fighter,  and  loyal  to  his  people. 
The  PhiHstines  had  again  rallied  to  attack'  the  Israelites, 
and  they,  distressed  and  perplexed  by  the  mysterious  illness 
of  their  leader,  were  fearful  of  defeat.  The  two  armies  were 
drawn  up  on  opposite  sides  of  a  deep  valley,  and  the  Philis- 
tines, following  a  common  custom,  sent  out  one  man  as  their 
champion  to  challenge  any  man  of  the  Israelites  to  single 
combat,  with  the  understanding  that  the  side  whose  cham- 
pion was  defeated  should  surrender  to  the  other.  But  this 
Philistine,   whose   name   was   Goliath,   was   such   a  gigantic 


Thirty-st-vtn  Jonathan  181 

and  powerful  fellow  that  no  one  dared  go  against  him  single- 
handed,  and  neither  did  the  Israelitish  army  dare  attack  the 
Philistines.  So  Goliath  came  out,  day  after  day,  stalking 
up  and  down  on  his  side  of  the  valley,  brandishing  his  immense 
spear,  shouting  out  all  sorts  of  taunts  and  insults,  and  daring 
any  Israelite  to  come  out  and  fight  with  him.  This  was 
more  than  young  David  could  stand.  Young  and  modest, 
he  waited  a  while  to  see  if  any  more  experienced  warrior 
would  accept  the  challenge,  but  when  no  one  did  so,  he  said 
to  the  king,  "  I  will  go  and  fight  with  this  Philistine." 
There  is  no  need  to  tell  the  rest  of  this  story  here.  We  all 
know  how  his  brothers  laughed  at  him,  and  how  the  king  at 
first  tried  to  dissuade  him.  We  know,  too,  what  the  result 
was,  how  David,  armed  only  with  his  shepherd's  sling,  over- 
came the  giant  Goliath,  and  cut  his  head  off  with  his  own 
sword;  how  the  Philistines  fled  w^hen  they  saw  their  champion 
slain,  and  how  the  Israelites  pursued  after  them,  killing  and 
taking  them  captive. 

A  Jealous  Monarch.  But  the  part  that  does  belong  in  this 
story  of  Jonathan  is  what  happened  after  the  battle,  for,  as 
David  returned  to  the  camp,  the  women  came  out  to  meet 
him,  with  tambourines  and  cymbals,  and  danced  for  joy,  and 
sang  a  song  of  triumph: 

"  Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands, 
And  David  his  ten  thousands." 

And  king  Saul  heard  them,  and  was  angry,  for  they  gave 
David  greater  praise  than  himself,  and  he  was  king,  and 
David  but  a  humble  shepherd  lad.  Now  an  evil  spirit  really 
did  take  possession  of  Saul — the  spirit  of  jealousy — and  he 
said  to  himself,  "  They  will  be  wanting  to  make  him  king 
next,"  and  from  that  day  he  began  to  eye  David  with  fear 
and  jealous  hatred. 

A  Royal  Friendship.  But  prince  Jonathan  was  more 
truly  royal  than  his  father.  A  brave  soldier  himself,  he  knew 
and  admired  a  brave  man  when  he  saw  one,  and  he  vowed 
everlasting  friendship  with  young  David.  True,  he  had  just 
as  much  reason  to  be  jealous  of  David  as  his  father.  But 
he  was  too  noble  to  let  that  spoil  his  friendship  for  the  man 
whom  he  admired  and  loved. 

The  Enmity  of  the  King.  But  Saul's  hatred  of  David 
grew.     First  he  tried  by  treacherous  means  to  get  rid  of  him. 


182  Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson 


He  found  out  that  his  own  daughter  Michal  loved  David. 
So  he  sent  word  to  David  that  if  he  would  go  out  and  kill 
a  hundred  Philistines,  he  would  give  him  his  daughter  as  his 
wife.  For  he  thought,  "  The  Philistines  will  kill  him,  and 
that  will  end  the  matter."  But  David  went  out  and  killed 
the  Philistines,  and  married  Michal,  and  thus  was  nearer 
than  ever  to  the  throne.  Then  Saul  ordered  Jonathan  and 
his  servants  to  kill  David,  but  they  defended  him  instead, 
and  Jonathan  told  his  father  that  he  was  doing  David  a  great 
injustice.  Finally,  one  day,  when  a  return  of  the  old  sickness 
was  upon  Saul,  and  David  was  playing  the  harp  and  trying 
to  relieve  him,  Saul  suddenly  raised  his  spear  and  tried  to  kill 
David.     But  David  escaped. 

A  Friendly  Conspiracy.  Then  David  came  to  Jonathan, 
saying,  "  What  have  I  done  that  your  father  should  seek  my 
life?"  Jonathan  replied,  "  You  shall  not  die.  My  father 
tells  me  everything  that  he  intends  to  do,  and  if  he  is  plotting 
harm  against  you,  I  will  surely  warn  you."  But  David 
knew  that  king  Saul  was  aware  of  Jonathan's  friendship 
for  him,  and  feared  that  he  would  therefore  hide  his  purpose 
from  his  son.  So  they  arranged  a  plan  by  w^hich  they  might 
learn  the  intention  of  the  king  toward  David.  David  was 
to  stay  away  from  the  royal  table  for  three  days.  By  that 
time  the  king  would  notice  his  absence  and  inquire  about  him. 
Then  Jonathan  was  to  explain  that  he  had  given  David 
permission  to  go  to  his  native  town  to  attend  a  family  religious 
ceremonial.  If  the  king  was  satisfied,  all  would  be  well; 
if  not,  he  would  probably  betray  his  enmity,  in  which  case 
Jonathan  would  warn  David  in  a  manner  agreed  upon. 

The  plan  was  carried  out.  On  the  third  day,  sure  enough, 
the  king  asked  after  David,  and  when  Jonathan  explained 
his  absence,  Saul  burst  out  in  a  storm  of  angry  abuse.  He 
reproached  Jonathan  for  conspiring  with  David  to  his  own 
disadvantage.  "  For,"  he  said,  "  as  long  as  David  lives, 
neither  you  nor  your  kingdom  will  be  sure.  Therefore,  now 
send  and  bring  him,  for  he  is  doomed  to  die." 

Jonathan  then  went  out  into  a  field  where,  n.ccording  to 
their  agreement,  David  was  hidden.  He  took  with  him  his 
bow  arid  arrows  and  a  little  lad.  '*  Run  now,"  he  said, 
"  and  find  the  arrow  I  am  going  to  shoot,"  and  as  the  lad 
ran  Jonathan  shot  an  arrow  on  before  him.  Then,  raising 
his  voice,   he   called  out,   "  Is  not  the   arrow  beyond   you? 


Thirty-seven  Jonathan  183 

Hurry  quick,  do  not  stop."  This  was  the  signal  that  had 
been  arranged  by  which  David  was  to  know  that  his  Hfe 
was  not  safe  and  that  he  must  flee.  Then  Jonathan,  seeing 
that  no  one  else  was  in  sight,  gave  his  bow  and  arrows  to  the 
boy  and  told  him  to  take  them  back  to  the  city.  As  soon 
as  the  lad  had  gone,  David  came  out  of  his  hiding-place; 
the  two  friends  bade  each  other  "  Good-by,"  and  David 
escaped,  and  with  his  going  Jonathan  saw  his  own  chance  of 
ever  being  king  disappear. 

Faithful  unto  Death.  From  this  day  David  was  an  outlaw, 
living  most  of  the  time  in  caves  and  among  the  mountain 
passes,  while  Saul  hunted  for  him  to  kill  him.  But  the  day 
came  when,  in  a  great  battle  with  the  Philistines,  Saul  was 
slain,  and  Jonathan  with  him.  The  news  was  brought  to 
David,  and  he  knew  that  it  meant  the  throne  for  him.  But 
David  cared  as  little  for  royal  honors,  in  comparison  with 
true  friendship,  as  had  Jonathan.  Instead  of  rejoicing  over 
the  downfall  of  his  enemy  he  sang  a  song  of  lamentation  for 
Saul,  whom  he  had  always  respected  on  account  of  his  really 
noble  qualities  and  royal  position;  but  of  his  friend  Jonathan 
he  sang: 

"  I  am  distressed  for  thee,  my  brother  Jonathan: 

Very  pleasant  hast  thou  been  unto  me: 

Thy  love  to  me  was  wonderful. 

Passing  the  love  of ^ women." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story  and  1  Sam.  chs.  16-20. 

2.  How  did  Jonathan  come  to  meet  David? 

3.  Why  was  he  so  strongly  attracted  to  him?  (1  Sam. 
16:12;  19:4,  5.) 

4.  How  did  Jonathan  express  his  friendship  for  David? 
(ISam.  18:4;  19:1-7;  ch.  20.) 

5.  Why  did  Saul  become  an  enemy  of  David? 

6.  Why  did  Jonathan  still  remain  David's  friend? 

7.  How  did  David  show  his  friendship  for  Jonathan? 

8.  What  did  Jesus  say  about  friendship  in  Jo.  15: 13-15? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

9.  Write  a  story  about  David  and  Jonathan. 

10.  Write  a  short  story  of  any  other  friendship  of  which  you  know 
that  seems  to  you  particularly  fine. 


184 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson 


11.  Write  down  the  names  of  some  of  your  best  friends  and  tell 
why  you  value  their  friendship. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  John  15:13-15;  Prov.  17:17  (the  motto  at  the  head  of  this 
lesson)  and  the  best  quotation  or  selection  about  friendship  that  you 
can  find  elsewhere. 


Lesson  38.     ESTHER.     A  Heroine  of  the  Jewish  Captivity. 

5th  century  b.  c. 

••  Who  knoweth  whether  thou  art  not  come  to  the  kingdom  for  such 
a  time  as  this?"     Esth.  4: 14. 

How  Esther  became  Queen.  The  great  Persian  king  Xerx- 
es, or  Ahasuerus,  as  he  is  called  in  the  Book  of  Esther, 
was  giving  a  magnificent  banquet  to  the  nobles  and  princes 
of  his  realm.  The  great  palace  of  Shushan  was  resplendent 
with   hangings   of  white   and   green   and   blue   and   purple. 


Mound  on  the  Site  of  Ancient  Shushan,  or  Susa. 

The  guests  reclined  upon  couches  of  gold  and  silver,  while 
the  servants  hurried  here  and  there  over  the  floor  of  many- 
colored  marble,  and  served  their  highnesses  from  dishes  of 
gold.  The  viands  were  rare  and  fine,  and  the  guests  drank 
the  costliest  of  wines.  Just  as  the  feasting  was  at  its  height, 
and  when  many  of  the  guests  were  excited  with  drinking 
and  carousing,  it  occurred  to  the  king  to  send  for  his  queen, 
Vashti,  of  whose  beauty  he  was  very  proud,  to  come  in  and 
show  herself  to  the  company.     But  queen  Vashti  seems  to 


Thirtv-eight  Esther  185 

have  had  more  modesty  and  native  refinement  than  her 
royal  husband,  and  she  absolutely  refused  to  come  in  and 
parade  before  a  lot  of  half-drunken  roisterers.  The  king 
was  furiously  angry.  He  was  not  in  the  habit  of  having  his 
royal  will  even  questioned,  to  say  nothing  of  being  disobeyed. 
He  called  together  his  counselors,  who  usually  agreed  to  any- 
thing that  they  thought  would  please  him  most,  and  forth- 
with decreed  that  queen  Vashti  should  be  deposed  and  never 
see  the  king  again.  However,  the  king  did  not  wish  to  be 
left  without  any  queen  to  share  his  throne.  He  therefore 
sent  out  orders  that  all  the  fairest  maidens  of  his  realm  be 
brought  to  the  palace,  that  he  might  see  them  all  and  choose 
for  queen  the  one  who  pleased  him  most.  The  fair  maidens 
do  not  seem  to  have  had  much  choice  in  the  matter,  but  that 
made  very  little  difference  t-o  Xerxes.  And  so  it  came  to 
pass  that  the  doubtful  honor  of  succeeding  queen  Vashti 
fell  upon  Esther,  an  orphaned  Jewish  maiden,  who  had  been 
brought  up  by  her  cousin  Mordecai  who  had  a  position  in  the 
royal  palace. 

A  Haughty  Favorite.  About  this  same  time,  it  happened 
that  the  king  had  promoted  a  certain  Haman  to  a  position 
of  influence  and  power,  whereupon  every  one  about  the  court 
began  to  bow  very  low  before  the  new  favorite,  and  try  to 
curry  favor  with  him.  But  Mordecai,  the  Jew,  had  too  much 
self-respect  and  independence  of  spirit  to  bow  down  to  a  man 
whom  he  did  not  really  respect,  and  this  made  Haman  exceed- 
ingly angry,  as  is  apt  to  be  the  case  with  court  favorites. 
All  his  honors  and  his  rank  were  spoiled  for  him  by  this  failure 
to  humble  the  spirit  of  one  man,  and  forthwith  he  began  to 
plot  for  the  ruin  of  Mordecai. 

A  Dastardly  Plot.  Going  before  the  king,  he  told  a  false 
story  about  the  Jews,  saying  that  they  were  disloyal  and 
disobedient  to  the  king,  and  suggesting  that  if  the  king  would 
permit  him  to  have  all  the  Jews  killed,  and  to  confiscate  all 
their  property,  it  would  be  a  very  profitable  thing  for  the 
king's  treasury.  These  Oriental  monarchs  were  easily  flat- 
tered, and  quite  as  easily  tempted  by  the  prospect  of  more 
wealth,  and  Xerxes  readily  gave  his  consent  to  the  plan,  and 
his  signature  and  seal  to  the  order  for  carrying  it  out. 

Soon  it  became  known  that  on  a  certain  day,  about  a  year 
from  that  time,  all  the  Jews,  men  and  women,  young  and  old, 


186  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^«««<'» 

even  the  little  children,  were  to  be  slain,  and  all  their  property 
was  to  be  seized.  There  was  great  wailing  and  lamentation, 
and  Mordecai  showed  his  grief  in  the  common  manner  of 
the  day  by  clothing  himself  in  rough  sackcloth  and  putting 
ashes  on  his  head.  This  soon  came  to  the  notice  of  queen 
Esther,  who,  within  the  palace,  had  heard  nothing  of  the  plot 
against  her  people,  and  she  sent  to  know  the  cause.  Mordecai 
sent  back  word  of  the  plot  against  them,  and  urged  her  to 
go  before  the  king  to  intercede  with  him  in  behalf  of  her 
people.  Queen  though  she  was,  this  was  no  easy  thing  for 
Esther  to  attempt.  Her  access  to  the  king  depended  entirely 
upon  his  royal  whim,  and  it  was  a  rule  of  the  palace  that 
any  one  who  dared  come  into  the  presence  of  his  majesty 
without  being  sent  for,  should  be  put  to  death  at  once,  unless 
perchance  the  king  should  be  gracious  enough  to  hold  out  his 
royal  scepter  in  token  of  his  favor.  But  it  was  a  great  risk 
for  any  one  to  run.  Esther  sent  back  word  of  this  to  Mor- 
decai, to  which  the  old  man  replied,  "  Think  not  that  thou 
wilt  escape  if  this  plot  is  carried  out.  If  thou  boldest  thy 
peace  now,  relief  must  come  to  us  from  some  other  source, 
but  who  knoweth  whether  thou  art  not  come  to  the  kingdom 
for  such  a  time  as  this?" 

Esther's  Heroic  Deed.  Then  Esther  determined  to  make 
the  attempt.  She  sent  word  to  Mordecai  to  gather  together 
the  other  Jews  in  Shushan,  and  by  fasting  to  win  God's  favor 
for  her;  she  would  do  the  same,  with  her  maidens,  and  then, 
trusting  in  God,  she  would  go  before  the  king,  "  And,"  said 
the  brave  maiden,  "  if  I  perish,  I  perish."  So,  after  three 
days  of  fasting  and  prayer,  queen  Esther  arrayed  herself 
in  all  her  most  beautiful  apparel,  and  entered  the  inner  court 
of  the  king's  house.  Her  heart  must  have  beat  very  fast 
indeed,  as  she  saw  the  king  seated  upon  his  throne,  and  knew 
that  the  next  few  moments  would  decide  whether  she  was  to 
live  or  die.  How  she  must  have  watched  his  face,  and  how 
her  heart  must  have  leaped  when  she  saw  the  royal  scepter 
extended  toward  her,  and  heard  the  king's  voice:  "  What 
wilt  thou,  queen  Esther?  What  is  thy  request?  It  shall 
be  granted,  even  to  the  half  of  my  kingdom."  With  head 
erect,  and  glorious  in  her  beauty,  Esther  came  near  the 
throne,  and  touched  the  end  of  the  scepter:  "  If  it  seem  good 
to  the  king,  let  the  king  and  Haman  come  this  day  to  the 
banquet  that  I  have  prepared  for  him."     The  king  graciously 


Thirty-eigiU  Esther  187 

accepted  the  invitation,  feeling  quite  sure  that  Esther  had 
some  further  request  to  make,  and  that  this  banquet  was  just 
a  means  of  getting  him  into  a  good  humor.  But  when, 
at  the  banquet,  he  sought  to  know  what  the  queen  desired, 
she  only  asked  that  the  king  and  Haman  come  on  the  next 
day  to  another  banquet,  and  then  she  would  make  known 
her  request. 

Haman  went  home  from  this  banquet  highly  flattered. 
He  told  his  wife  and  children  and  friends  of  the  new  honor 
that  had  been  shown  him,  how  he  had  been  singled  out  above 
all  the  princes  by  the  queen  herself  for  this  banquet  with  the 
king.  But  even  so,  his  jealous  spirit  was  not  satisfied  so 
long  as  the  man  whom^  he  so  bitterly  hated  was  permitted 
to  live.  He  could  not  even  wait  for  the  day  upon  which  his 
wholesale  revenge  was  to  be  taken,  but,  at  the  advice  of  his 
friends,  he  built  that  very  day  a  gallows  in  the  courtyard  of 
his  house,  never  doubting  that  he  would  be  able  to  get  per- 
mission from  the  king  to  hang  Mordecai  thereon  the  very 
next  day. 

A  Wakeful  King's  Discovery.  Now  it  providentially  hap- 
pened that  night  that  Xerxes  could  not  sleep.  Not  enjoy- 
ing lying  awake  in  the  dark  with  nothing  to  do  any  better 
than  common  folks,  he  sent  for  two  of  his  officers,  and 
ordered  them  to  read  aloud  to  him  from  the  court  records. 
So  it  came  to  pass  that  he  found  the  record  of  how  Mordecai, 
some  time  before,  had  discovered  a  murderous  plot  against 
Xerxes,  and,  by  giving  warning,  had  saved  the  king's  life. 
"  What  has  been  done  to  reward  Mordecai  for  this?"  asked 
the  king.  "  Nothing,  sire,"  was  the  reply.  Morning  came, 
and  with  it  Haman,  as  early  as  possible,  intent  on  his  base 
purpose.  He  was  admitted  to  the  royal  presence,  but,  before 
he  could  say  a  word,  the  king  said,  "  Haman,  what  should 
be  done  to  the  man  whom  the  king  delights  to  honor?" 
Haman  by  this  time  had  become  so  puffed  up  that  he  felt 
sure  that  he  must  be  the  man.  He  saw  another  chance  for 
honor,  and  for  a  moment  forgot  his  own  request.  Said  he, 
"  Let  royal  apparel  be  brought,  which  the  king  himself  is 
accustomed  to  wear,  and  the  king's  horse  with  a  royal  crown 
on  its  head,  and  let  the  horse  and  apparel  be  delivered  to  one 
of  the  chief  princes,  that  he  may  array  the  man,  and  cause 
him  to  ride  through  the  city,  and  proclaim  before  him,  '  Thus 
shall  it  be  done  to  the  man  whom  the  king  delights  to  honor.'  " 


188  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^^^ 

Then  said  the  king,  "  Make  haste,  and  take  the  apparel  and 
the  horse,  and  do  as  thou  hast  said  to  Mordecai  the  Jew." 
Oh,  what  a  hateful  task  for  the  proud  and  haughty  Haman, 
thus  to  honor  the  man  he  wished  to  kill ! 

Queen  Esther  Presents  her  Petition.  Haman  no  doubt 
found  some  solace  in  the  thought  of  the  banquet  to  which 
he  was  invited  with  the  king.  The  king  was  in  a  very  gracious 
mood,  and  very,  very  proud  of  his  beautiful  queen.  Again 
he  said  to  her,  "Queen  Esther,  what  is  thy  petition?  Thou 
shalt  have  it,  to  the  half  of  my  kingdom."  And  Esther 
replied,  "  If  I  have  found  favor  in  thy  sight,  O  king,  let 
my  life  be  given  to  me  at  my  petition,  and  the  life  of  my 
people;  for  we  are  sold,  I  and  my  people,  to  be  slain."  Then 
said  the  king,  "  Who  is  he,  and  where  is  he  that  durst  presume 
in  his  heart  to  do  so?"  And  Esther  said,  "  An  adversary 
and  an  enemy,  even  this  wicked  Haman."  Then  the  king 
sprang  up  in  a  towering  rage,  and  Haman  grew  white  with 
fear,  and  cowered  before  the  king  and  queen.  He  threw 
himself  upon  his  face  before  Esther,  to  beg  for  his  life;  but 
the  king  called  his  servants  and  bade  them  take  him  away 
to  death.  Then  one  of  the  officers  said,  "  Haman  has  built 
a  gallows  in  his  courtyard  on  which  to  hang  Mordecai,  who 
saved  the  king's  life."  "  Take  him  away,  and  hang  him 
thereon  !"  thundered  the  king. 

Queen  Esther  then  told  of  her  relationship  to  Mordecai, 
and  begged  that  the  decree  that  had  gone  forth  might  be 
revoked.  To .  change  a  decree  was  something  that  Persian 
kings  were  not  allowed  to  do,  but  Xerxes  at  once  issued  an 
order  that  on  the  day  appointed  for  the  massacre  of  the  Jews, 
they  should  be  furnished  with  arms,  and  given  every  oppor- 
tunity to  defend  themselves  against  their  enemies;  and  we 
may  well  imagine  that  after  such  an  order  from  the  king, 
those  who  would  have  killed  the  Jews  were  not  very  keen 
about  it. 

So  the  day  that  would  have  been  one  of  despair  and  dis- 
tress for  the  Jews  was  turned  into  one  of  great  gladness  and 
joy.  It  became  one  of  their  great  holidays  and  festivals, 
called  Purim,  and  to  this  day  is  celebrated  each  year  on  the 
14th  and  15th  of  Adar,  or  our  March.  As  for  queen  Esther, 
she  continued  to  reign  as  queen  for  many  years,  while  Mor- 
decai "  was  next  unto  king  Ahasuerus,  and  great  among 
the  Jews." 


Thirtv-eight  Esther  189 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  Book  of  Esther  in  addition  to  the  story  here 
given. 

2.  How  did  Esther  become  queen? 

3.  Who  was  Esther's  cousin? 

4.  Who  was  Haman  ?  Why  did  he  hate  Mordecai,  and  what 
plot  did  he  make  against  him  and  his  people? 

5.  What  two  of  the  Ten  Commandments  did  he  thus 
violate  ? 

6.  What  heroic  deed  did  queen  Esther  do  to  save  her 
people? 

7.  What  providential  circumstance  helped  her  purpose  and 
also  helped  to  punish  Haman? 

8.  What  is  the  origin  of  Purim,  the  Jewish  festival? 

9.  What  saying  of  the  Bible  is  illustrated  in  the  case  of 
Haman?     (Ps.  7:15,  16.) 

10.  What  does  the  Bible  say  of  envy  and  jealousy  (Prov. 
27:4;  Rom.  1:29;  Gal.  5:26;  Jas.  3:14,15;  1  Pet.  2:1)? 
Note  some  of  the  evil  deeds  that  have  come  out  of  envy 
(Mk.  15:1,  10;  Acts  7:9). 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

11.  Write  a  story  of  Esther,  adding  at  the  end  the  lessons  which 
you  think  the  story  teaches.  For  illustration,  either  Wilde  No.  622  or 
No.  630,  may  be  chosen 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  lesson  motto  and  any  one  of  the  Bible  teachings  about 
envy  that  you  prefer.  Review  also  the  description  of  the  opposite 
spirit,  that  "  envieth  not,"  in  1  Cor.  ch.  13. 


100  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^w« 

Lesson  39.     JUDAS  MACCABEUS.     The  Last  of  the  Great 
Hebrew  Generals. 

1  Maccabees  1:10 — 9:22.     Judas'  Campaigns,  166  to  161  b.  c. 

"  T  will  say  of  Jehovah,  He  is  my  refuge  and  my  fortress; 
My  God,  in  whom  I  trust."     Ps.  91 : 2. 

A  Defender  of  the  Faith.  There  was  great  distress  and 
consternation  in  the  little  mountain  village  of  Modin.  An- 
tiochus,  the  Syrian  king  who  ruled  Jerusalem  and  the  land 
of  the  Hebrews,  had  determined  to  destroy  the  religion  of  the 
Jews.  In  order  to  do  this,  he  had  sent  his  commissioner  to 
erect  altars  to  the  heathen  god  Jupiter  in  the  market-places 
of  all  towns  and  villages,  and  was  now  calling  upon  the  people 
to  offer  sacrifice  thereon  and  thus  renounce  their  allegiance 
to  Jehovah  and  the  religion  of  their  fathers.  The  people  in 
Modin  stood  about  in  groups,  irresolute,  wondering  what  to 
do,  and  hardly  daring  to  do  anything.  MeanVhile  they 
talked  in  awed  whispers  of  the  many  acts  of  cruel  persecution 
that  had  been  done  by  order  of  the  tyrant,  both  in  Jerusalem 
and  in  the  villages  round  about.  They  all  had  heard  how 
Antiochus  had  desecrated  the  holy  place  of  the  temple  by 
sacrificing  swine  upon  the  great  altar,  and  pouring  out  a 
libation  to  Jupiter  in  the  Holy  of  Holies.  One  told  how  some 
Hebrew  mothers  who  had  persisted  in  their  loyalty  to  the 
worship  of  Jehovah  had  been  driven  through  the  streets  of 
Jerusalem  with  their  infant  babes  hung  about  their  necks, 
and  then  had  been  dashed  to  pieces  upon  the  rocks  below  the 
city  wall.  Another  told  with  horror  of  the  frightful  torture 
of  seven  brothers  who,  with  their  mother,  were  put  to  death 
for  defying  the  order  of  the  king.  And  the  others  listened 
with  growing  terror,  and  asked,  "What  will  happen  to  us 
if  we  disobey  the  order  to  worship  at  this  altar?" 

Suddenly  the  word  ran  from  one  to  the  other,  "  Here  comes 
Mattathias !  He  will  tell  us  what  to  do  !"  All  eyes  were 
turned  toward  a  venerable  looking  man,  with  long  gray  beard, 
who  was  coming  hurriedly  toward  them,  accompanied  by 
five  splendid,  stalwart  young  men,  his  sons.  An  evil  smile 
gleamed  on  the  face  of  the  king's  commissioner  as  he  saw 
Mattathias  and  his  sons.  He  knew  that  the  old  man  was  the 
recognized  leader  among  the  people  of  this  community.  He 
would  make  him  set  the  example  desired  by  the  king.  Ac- 
cordingly   he    addressed    Mattathias   with   flattering   words, 


TMrtv-nint  j^qx  Maccab(Bus  191 

promising  him  honor  and  riches  for  himself  and  his  sons,  if 
he  would  burn  incense  upon  the  altar.  Mattathias  answered 
him  with  a  look  of  such  indignation  that  the  commissioner 
involuntarily  shrank  from  before  him.  "Though  all  the 
nations  that  are  under  the  king's  dominion  obey  him,  and 
fall  away  every  one  from  the  religion  of  their  fathers,  and  give 
consent  to  his  commandments:  yet  will  I  and  my  sons  and 
my  brethren  w^alk  in  the  covenant  of  our  fathers.  God 
forbid  that  we  should  forsake  the  law  and  the  ordinances. 
We  will  not  hearken  to  the  king's  words,  to  go  from  our  reli- 
gion, either  on  the  right  hand,  or  the  left." 

A  Coward  Punished.  The  people  listened  with  mingled 
admiration  and  fear.  But  one,  whose  fear  of  the  consequences 
that  might  follow  this  bold  deiance  was  greater  than  his 
nobility  or  courage,  hastily  stepped  up  to  the  altar,  intending 
to  sacrifice  thereon  in  compliance  with  the  king's  command. 
The  sight  was  like  a  flame  to  the  kindling  indignation  of  Mat- 
tathias. With  a  stroke  of  his  sword  he  laid  the  renegade  low, 
and  with  another  he  slew  the  king's  commissioner.  Then, 
turning  to  the  altar,  he  leveled  it  to  the  ground,  hurling  the 
stones  in  every  direction. 

Open  Revolt.  The  people  watched  Mattathias  in  silence 
until  his  work  was  finished.  Then  the  old  man  turned  to 
them,  and  cried  aloud,  "  Whosoever  is  zealous  of  the  law, 
and  maintaineth  the  covenant,  let  him  follow  me  !"  A  cheer 
went  up  on  the  instant,  and  men  sprang  forward,  eager  to 
follow  in  defense  of  their  liberties  now  that  a  leader  had 
arisen.  They  fled  at  once  to  the  mountains,  forsaking  their 
possessions.  There  they  were  soon  joined  by  others,  until 
a  force  had  been  gathered  which  before  long  was  to  make  the 
Syrian  king  wish  that  he  had  never  stirred  up  that  hornet's 
nest  in  Modin.  They  made  frequent  raids  in  various  parts 
of  the  country,  overthrowing  heathen  altars  that  had  been 
set  up,  and  putting  apostate  Jews  to  death. 

Judas  Maccabaeus.  The  aged  Mattathias  was  now  draw- 
ing near  his  end.  Before  his  death  he  called  his  five  sons  about 
him  and  divided  his  authority,  appointing  Judas,  his  third 
son,  commander-in-chief  of  the  forces  he  had  assembled. 
Probably  because  of  his  vigorous  assaults  on  the  Syrians, 
he  came  to  be  called  the  "  Maccabee,"  that  is,  the  "  Ham- 


192  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^*«'"» 

merer,"  and  this  name  afterwards  clung  to  the  entire  family. 
Apollonius,  the  Syrian  officer  who  had  massacred  unresisting 
Jews  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  immediately  raised  an  army 
to  scatter  this  mob  of  rebels,  as  he  considered  them.  A  battle 
was  fought  near  Jerusalem,  Apollonius  was  killed,  and  Judas 
himself  took  his  sword  and  used  it  in  all  his  subsequent  bat- 
tles. Another  general,  named  Seron,  raised  an  army  to  put 
down  the  rebels  and  gain  honor  for  himself.  The  little  band 
of  Jews,  scattered  about  the  rocky  cliffs,  watched  the  great 
army  of  disciplined  soldiers  marching  against  them,  and 
were  dismayed.  But  Judas  said,  "  It  is  no  hard  matter  for 
many  to  be  shut  up  in  the  hand  of  a  few;  and  with  the  God 
of  heaven  it  is  all  one,  to  deliver  with  a  great  multitude,  or 
a  small  company  ;  for  the  victory  of  battle  standeth  not  in  the 
multitude  of  an  host;  but  strength  cometh  from  heaven." 
With  these  words  ringing  in  their  ears,  the  little  band  of  Jews 
fell  suddenly  upon  the  army  as  it  marched  up  the  rocky  pass. 
Seron  was  killed  and  his  army  scattered  almost  before  they 
realized  what  had  happened. 

Continued  Successes.  Judas  carried  on  a  guerrilla  warfare 
for  two  years,  winning  battle  after  battle,  and  constantly 
gathering  numbers  of  loyal,  patriotic  Jews  to  his  standard. 

The  revolt  of  the  village  of 
Modin  had  become  a  national 
uprising  which  threatened  to 
disintegrate  the  kingdom  of 
vSyria.  At  last  king  Antiochus 
Epiphanes  determined  to  lead  a 
great  army  into  that  part  of  his 
realm  and  punish  the  Jews. 
The  expedition  was  made  ready 
under  two  generals,  Nicanor  and 
Gorgias.  Nicanor  thought  that 
victory  was  so  certain  that 
he  invited  slave-dealers  from 
Antiochus  Epiphanes.  Phoenicia  to  his  camp,  that  they 

might  be  ready  to  buy  the  Jewish  prisoners.  The  battle 
took  place  near  Modin.  Nicanor  separated  his  forces,  sending 
a  strong  detachment  under  Gorgias  to  surprise  Judas  in  camp. 
But  Judas  discovered  his  intention  and  met  it  by  strategy. 
He  fed  his  army,  had  them  light  brio;ht  camp  fires  and  then 


Thirty-nine  Judus  MaccabiBUS  193 

quietly  deserted  the  camp.  When  Gorgias  came  to  the  empty 
camp  he  concluded  that  the  Jews  had  fled  to  the  mountains, 
and  started  off  in  pursuit.  Meanwhile,  Judas  had  led  his 
forces  around  by  another  way  and  fallen  upon  the  Syrian 
army  under  Nicanor,  encamped  near  Emmaus.  The  attack 
was  such  a  surprise  that  the  Syrians  were  overcome,  their 
camp  burned,  and  Nicanor  put  to  flight.  Gorgias  returned 
from  his  wild-goose  chase  to  find  his  camp  in  flames  and  the 
rest  of  the  army  scattered.  His  own  men  were  seized  with 
panic  and  fled  after  Nicanor. 

Jerusalem  Retaken.  Soon  after  this,  Judas  entered  Jerusa- 
lem in  triumph.  While  he  could  not  dislodge  the  Syrian 
garrison  in  the  citadel,  his  soldiers  held  them  in  check  so  that 
another  part  of  the  army  might  cleanse  and  repair  the  temple, 
build  a  new  altar,  appoint  priests  and  re-establish  the  worship 
of  Jehovah  in  the  place  that  had  been  defiled  by  heathen 
orgies.  That  was  a  great  day  for  Israel,  and  a  new  festival, 
the  Feast  of  Dedication,  or  of  Lights,  from  the  general  illu- 
mination of  the  houses,  was  established  in  memory  of  it.  This 
feast  is  still  observed  in  Jewish  communities.  Songs,  such 
as  Psalms  30  and  68,  were  written  in  honor  of  the  great 
deliverance.  They  were  sung  in  the  temple  service,  and 
people  went  about  the  streets  with  the  glad  refrain  upon 
their  lips: 

"  I  will  extol  thee,  O  Jehovah,  for  thou  hast  raised  me  up, 
And  hast  not  made  my  foes  to  rejoice  over  me." 

Judas  as  Sovereign.  For  a  year  and  a  half,  Judas  governed 
his  people  as  sovereign.  He  discharged  the  duties  of  high 
priest  and  king  as  well.  He  punished  many  of  the  surround- 
ing nations  that  had  aided  the  Syrians  in  their  attempt  to 
keep  the  Jews  in  subjection,  and  like  a  true  patriot  exerted 
himself  to  win  for  his  people  political  independence,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  tried  to  make  them  honest,  orderly.  God-fearing, 
and  industrious.  In  all  his  battles  he  was  inspired  by  a 
deeply  religious  motive,  and  constantly  exhorted  his  men  to 
put  their  trust  in  God.  But  at  the  same  time,  like  the  great 
Cromwell,  who  told  his  soldiers  to  trust  in  God  and  keep  their 
powder  dry,  Judas  did  all  he  could  to  help  answer  his  own 
prayers  by  taking  every  precaution  and  using  the  best  pos- 
sible strategy  in  warfare.  He  never  left  anything  undone 
that  ought  to  be  done  to  insure  success.     While  his  enemies 


194  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^*on 

repeatedly  fell  victims  to  their  own  over-confidence,  Judas 
never  forgot  that  he  was  fighting  against  fearful  odds,  and 
was  always  on  his  guard. 

The  Death  of  Judas.  The  Syrians,  however,  proved  too 
much  for  the  little  nation  of  Judea  in  the  long  run.  They 
had  almost  limitless  resources,  and  kept  sending  larger  and 
larger  armies,  until  finally,  in  the  year  161  b.  c,  Demetrius 
the  king  sent  an  immense  force  against  the  insurgent  army 
of  three  thousand.  A  strange  panic  seemed  to  possess  the 
Jews.  Many  of  them  counseled  flight.  **  God  forbid,"  said 
Judas,  **  that  I  should  do  this  thing  and  flee  away  from  them ; 
if  our  time  be  come,  let  us  die  manfully  for  our  brethren,  and 
let  us  not  leave  behind  a  stain  upon  our  honor."  The  battle 
was  fought,  and  Judas  himself  was  slain.  His  brethren  laid 
him  to  rest  in  the  family  tomb  at  Modin,  and  all  Israel  mourned 
for  him  many  days.  Well  they  might,  for  they  had  lost  a 
great  leader,  brave,  conscientious,  skilful,  and  sincerely 
devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his  people.  He  fought  not  for 
glory,  not  for  conquest,  not  even  for  the  deliverance  of  his 
countrymen  from  the  hated  yoke  of  a  foreign  oppressor,  but 
for  the  preservation  of  the  Jewish  faith.  We,  too,  owe  him 
a  debt  of  gratitude.  Had  it  not  been  for  him,  Judea  would 
probably  have  been  overwhelmed  with  heathenism,  and  the 
religion  out  of  which  Christianity  has  grown  might  have  been 
wellnigh  blotted  out. 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story  carefully.  You  can  find  out  more 
about  Judas  Maccabaeus  and  his  brothers  in  the  First  Book 
of  Maccabees,  one  of  the  books  of  the  so-called  Apocrypha. 
These  books  are  not  included  in  our  modem  Bibles,  but  may 
be  found  in  many  of  the  older  editions,  or  in  "  family  " 
Bibles. 

2.  An  excellent  story  of  the  time  of  Judas  Maccabaeus  is 
Deborah  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Ludlow.  This  is  an  interesting  story, 
and  gives  a  very  good  idea  of  the  spirit  of  these  stirring  times 
in  the  history  of  Judea. 

3.  What  was  it  that  finally  drove  the  Jews  to  open  revolt 
against  Syria? 


^^y  Chinese  Gordon  195 

4.  What  was  the  chief  source  of  inspiration  and  strength 
to  Judas  in  his  battles? 

5.  What  else  helped  to  give  him  the  success  that  he  had? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

6.  Write  a  short  story  of  Judas  Maccaba^us,  telling  what  you  learn 
from  the  lesson  story,  and  any  other  reading.  End  it  with  a  short 
paragraph  giving  your  opinion  of  the  character  of  Judas. 

7.  Write  down  the  names  of  some  things  you  think  men  ought  to 
fight  against  to-day  in  the  same  spirit  that  Judas  and  his  followers 
fought  against  the  heathenism  of  the  Syrians. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Psalm  30  or  68,  reading  it  carefully  first,  and  trying  to  get 
its  meaning  in  the  light  of  the  times  to  which  it  refers.  The  titles  to 
the  Psalms  are  generally  held  to  have  been  added  long  after  their 
composition,  and  when  the  naines  of  the  real  authors  were  no  longer 
known. 


Lesson  40.     CHINESE  GORDON.     How  he  Became  a 

"  Yellow  Jacket." 

Born  Jan.  28,  1833;  died  Jan.  26,  1885. 

"  Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might."  Eccl. 
9:10. 

Merry  Times  at  Woolwich.  About  sixty-five  years  ago,  in 
the  city  of  Woolwich,  England,  where  the  soldiers  of  the 
British  artillery  are  trained,  there  lived  a  lively,  mischievous 
lad  for  whom  life  was  never  dull  and  who  managed  to  make 
things  interesting  for  almost  every  one  else.  His  name  was 
Charles  Gordon,  and  his  ancestors  were  famous  soldiers  in  the 
British  army,  while  his  mother  is  said  to  have  been  "  one  of 
the  people  who  never  lose  their  tempers,  who  always  make 
the  best  of  everything,  and  who  are  always  thinking  of  how 
to  help  others  and  never  of  themselves."  These  two  traits 
of  character  made  themselves  plainly  evident  in  Charles 
Gordon's  life.  He  became  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  effi- 
cient soldiers  that  England  has  ever  seen,  and  he  was  also 
one  of  the  most  genuinely  unselfish  men  that  ever  lived.  As 
a  boy  he  was  the  leader  in  all  sorts  of  wild  pranks.  He  and 
his  companions  made  friends  of  the  workmen  at  the  govern- 


196  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^on 

ment  arsenal,  who  made  them  famous  squirt-guns  and  cross- 
bows with  which  they  amused  themselves,  and  there  were 
not  many  of  the  tricks  known  to  boys  of  any  age  that  young 
Gordon  and  his  brothers  were  not  up  to.  It  was  their  special 
delight  to  play  jokes  on  the  "  pussies,"  as  they  called  the 
cadets  at  Woolwich.  These  cadets  were  stationed  at  the 
Royal  Arsenal,  in  front  of  which  were  great  earthworks  and 
trenches  in  which  they  were  trained  in  the  arts  of  warfare. 
One  night,  when  the  cadets  were  listening  to  a  lecture  from 
the  colonel,  there  was  a  tremendous  crash  as  of  an  explosion. 
The  cadets  thought  that  all  the  glass  in  the  place  was  broken, 
and  rushed  pell-mell  from  the  building,  only  to  find  that  some 
one  had  fooled  them  by  throwing  handfuls  of  small  shot  at 
the  windows.  They  at  once  exclaimed,  "  It's  that  Charlie 
Gordon,"  and  set  off  in  pursuit.  But  young  Gordon  knew 
every  inch  of  those  earthworks  better  than  the  cadets,  and 
easily  escaped  them,  for  even  in  his  fun  he  showed  the  quality 
that  made  him  so  successful  in  after  life ;  he  always  knew  just 
what  he  was  about.  In  course  of  time  Charles  became  a 
cadet  himself,  and  continued  his  fun,  getting  into  many  a 
scrape,  and  always  taking  his  full  share  of  punishment  and 
sometimes  more,  for  he  was  never  afraid  to  own  up  and  scorned 
any  falsehood  or  evasion  of  the  truth. 

A  Joke  with  Lasting  Results.  One  prank  cost  him  dearly 
at  the  time,  and  changed  the  whole  course  of  his  later  career. 
There  was  a  good  deal  of  hazing  among  the  cadets,  and  one 
new  boy  reported  that  Gordon  had  hit  him  on  the  head  with 
a  clothes  brush.  He  admitted  that  the  blow  was'not  a  severe 
one,  but  the  authorities  set  young  Gordon  back  six  months 
in  his  commission.  Until  this  time  Gordon  had  intended  to 
be  an  artilleryman,  but  now,  knowing  that  he  would  always 
be  six  months  behind  those  with  whom  he  had  been  studying, 
he  decided  to  become  a  military  engineer.  ^  He  was  well 
fitted  for  this,  being  exceptionally  gifted  in  m^p  drawing  and 
exceedingly  exact  in  detail  work,  and  the  change  probably 
opened  before  him  a  wider  field  for  usefulness  and  influence 
than  he  might  have  found  as  a  gunner. 

In  the  Crimea.  At  twenty-one  Gordon  was  a  lieutenant, 
and  soon  afterward  was  sent  to  the  Crimea,  where  the  grrat 
war  between  Russia  and  England  and  France  was  being 
fought,  the  same  war  that  we  have  heard  of  before  in  con- 


Forty 


Chinese  Gordon 


/ 
197 


Charles  George  Gordon. 


nection  with  Florence  Nightingale .  Gordon  was  entrusted  with 
the  task  of  erecting  huts  for  the  soldiers,  and  had  opportunity 
to  see  and  to  help  to  right  the 
many  mistakes  that  were  made, 
which  cost  the  lives  of  thousands. 
It  was  not  long,  however,  before 
he  was  assigned  to  duty  in  the 
trenches,  which  was  more  con- 
genial to  him,  as  it  brought  him 
nearer  to  the  actual  fighting, 
and  he  loved  the  excitement  and 
hard  work.  He  soon  made  a  rep- 
utation, which  never  left  him, 
as  a  man  devoid  of  fear.  One 
day,  while  passing  through  the 
trenches,  he  found  a  corporal  and 
a  private  engaged  in  a  dispute. 
They  were  at  work  placing  bas- 
kets of  earth  to  repair  the  earthworks,  and  the  corporal 
had  ordered  the  soldier  to  stand  up  above,  where  he  was 
exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  while  he  himself  handed 
up  the  baskets  from  a  place  of  safety.  Lieutenant  Gordon 
inquired  into  the  matter,  then  sprang  upon  the  earthwork, 
ordered  the  corporal  to  stand  beside  him,  and  told  the  private 
to  hand  up  the  baskets.  The  bullets  fell  about  them  like  rain, 
but  they  finished  their  work  and  jumped  down  into  the  trench. 
Then  Gordon  said  to  the  corporal,  "  Never  order  any  man  to 
do  what  you  are  afraid  to  do  yourself."  He  had  all  sorts  of 
narrow  escapes  and  was  once  wounded,  much  to  his  disgust, 
for  it  laid  him  aside  from  active  duty  for  a  short  time.  At 
the  close  of  the  war  he  was  decorated  by  the  French  govern- 
ment with  the  Legion  of  Honor  for  his  distinguished  services, 
an  honor  rarely  accorded  to  so  young  an  officer. 

"Chinese  Gordon.**  Gordon  was  not  allowed  to  remain 
long  at  home.  A  few  years  later  he  took  part  in  an  expedi- 
tion to  China  with  whom  England  was  then  at  war.  The 
Chinese  government  saw  something  of  his  skill  and  bravery, 
and  when,  not  long  afterward,  a  Chinese  village  school- 
master, called  Hung-Tsue-Schuen,  set  himself  up  to  be  the 
heaven-appointed  ruler  of  China,  the  government  asked  for 
English  officers  to  help  them  out.     Gordon  was  appointed 


198  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^«««on 

to  this  task.  He  was  given  command  of  an  army  which  was 
boastfully  called  the  "  Ever- victorious  Army,"  although  it 
had  thus  far  distinguished  itself  for  nothing  but  its  lack  of 
organization  and  discipline,  and  for  the  fact  that  it  had 
always  been  beaten.  The  Wangs,  or  T'ai  P'ings,  as  the  rebels 
were  called,  were  over-running  the  country,  plundering  vil- 
lages, murdering  the  inhabitants,  and  acting  with  the  greatest 
of  cruelty.  Gordon  accepted  this  difficult  task  solely  because 
he  saw  a  chance  to  put  a  stop  to  this  terrible  loss  of  life  and 
help  people  who  were  in  great  distress.  He  organized  and 
drilled  his  army,  arranged  that  his  soldiers  should  get  their 
pay  regularly,  issued  strict  orders  against  plundering  and 
looting,  got  together  a  little  fleet  of  gunboats,  and  began  his 
campaign.  The  rebels  only  laughed  at  first,  but  after  Gor- 
don's little  army  of  three  thousand  had  repeatedly  beaten 
and  driven  off  armies  three  and  four  times  its  size,  they  began 
to  think  very  differently.  Gordon  put  life  and  courage  into 
his  troops.  He  was  always  in  the  thick  of  the  fighting,  armed 
with  only  a  little  cane,  but  leading  the  most  desperate  charges, 
as  though  bullets  w^ere  nothing  but  so  much  paper.  The 
Chinese  soon  came  to  believe  that  his  life  was  protected  by 
some  sr  ft  of  charm.  Many  thought  that  his  cane  was  the 
talisman.  He  had  many  troubles  with  his  own  troops. 
They  could  not  be  broken  of  all  their  bad  habits  at  once,  and 
some  thought  it  very  hard  that  they  were  not  allowed  to  steal 
and  plunder  as  they  had  done.  Once  they  drew  up  a  proc- 
lamation declaring  that  unless  they  were  allowed  to  have 
their  own  way  they  would  kill  their  officers.  Gordon  felt 
sure  that  the  non-commissioned  officers  were  at  the  bottom 
of  the  trouble.  He  at  once  had  them  all  lined  up  before 
him,  and  told  them  that  if  they  did  not  at  once  reveal  the 
author  of  that  proclamation  he  would  have  one  out  of  every 
five  of  them  shot.  At  once  they  all  began  to  groan  and  howl, 
and  one  in  particular  made  more  fuss  than  all  the  rest. 
Gordon  decided  that  he  was  the  worst  of  the  lot.  He  pounced 
upon  the  fellow,  dragged  him  out  of  the  ranks  and  ordered 
him  shot.  Then  he  put  all  the  rest  into  the  guard-house 
and  gave  them  until  the  end  of  the  hour  to  reveal  the  name  of 
the  culprit,  and  to  fall  into  the  ranks  again.  In  a  very  short 
time  they  came  to  their  senses  and  gave  him  the  name  of  the 
man.  Gordon  was  right,  it  was  the  man  who  had  already 
been  punished. 


F^iy  Chinese  Gordon  199 

Angry  with  Good  Cause.  The  **  Ever-victorious  Army  " 
went  on  earning  its  name  until  at  last  the  Wangs  surrendered 
upon  Gordon's  promise  that  the  lives  of  the  leading  Wangs 
should  be  spared,  and  that  all  should  be  treated  mercifully. 
The  Chinese  government  agreed  to  these  terms,  but  as  soon 
as  they  got  the  rebel  chiefs  in  their  power,  they  proceeded 
to  violate  their  promises,  and  killed  every  one  of  them.  Gor- 
don was  furious  at  this  breach  of  good  faith.  He  even  started 
out  in  search  of  Li  Hung  Chang,  the  Chinese  governor,  with 
the  avowed  intention  of  killing  him  for  his  treachery.  Li 
kept  out  of  Gordon's  way.  The  Chinese  government  awarded 
to  Gordon  a  medal  that  was  reserved  only  for  their  bravest 
soldiers,  and  the  emperor  sent  him  a  gift  of  about  $15,000. 
But  when  the  messengers  arrived  at  Gordon's  headquarters 
with  their  treasure,  he  thought  the  emperor  was  trying  to 
bribe  him  to  overlook  the  treachery  that  had  been  shown  to 
those  whom  he  had  promised  to  spare.  Springing  to  his 
feet,  he  fell  upon  the  astonished  treasure-bearers  with  his 
"  magic  wand  "  and  flogged  them  and  their  gifts  out  of  his 
sight.  Of  course  Gordon  resigned  his  command.  He  felt 
that  he  could  not  longer  have  anything  to  do  with  people 
who  had  so  foully  betrayed  even  an  enemy.  But  as  he  saw 
the  war  continued,  and  knew  that  unless  he  resumed  his  com- 
mand hundreds  and  thousands  of  innocent  people  would 
suffer,  he  put  his  own  personal  feelings  one  side,  took  up  the 
task  once  more,  and  finally  succeeded  in  subduing  the  rebels. 

The  Chinese  government  again  wanted  to  reward  him 
handsomely,  but  he  would  accept  nothing  but  the  honor  of 
being  made  a  Ti-tu,  or  field  marshal,  and  the  award  of  the 
Yellow  Jacket,  which  in  the  eyes  of  the  Chinamen  was  the 
greatest  honor  that  could  come  to  one,  since  it  would  place 
him  among  the  chosen  twenty  of  the  emperor's  bodyguard. 
He  wrote  to  his  mother,  "  I  shall  leave  China  as  poor  as  I 
entered  it,  but  with  the  knowledge  that  through  my  weak 
instrumentality  upwards  of  eighty  to  one  hundred  thousand 
lives  have  been  spared."  Even  his  enemies  had  learned  to 
honor  and  love  him.  The  Chinese  government  trusted  him 
as  it  never  had  trusted  a  foreigner  before,  and  few,  if  any, 
since.  The  reason  for  this  trust  was  Gordon's  courage, 
simplicity  and  straightforwardness,  his  honesty  of  thought 
and  speech,  his  wide  sympathy  with  men,  his  clear-sighted 
devotion  to  whatever  task  was  committed  to  him,  and  his 


200  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^^^ 

absolute  disregard  of  private  ambition  and  money  gains. 
He  despised  all  crooked  ways,  because  he  knew  that  the  best 
way  is  the  straight  way.  In  every  situation  his  chief  ambi- 
tion was  to  do  the  right  thing,  and  he  had  unwavering  faith 
in  the  right  because  first  of  all  he  had  unwavering  faith  in 
God.  The  love  and  honor  which  such  a  man  won  among  the 
Chinese  he  was  yet  to  win  in  other  lands. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  In  addition  to  the  lesson  story,  read,  if  possible.  The 
Story  of  General  Gordon,  by  Jeanie  Lang,  in  "  The  Children's 
Heroes  "  series.  It  is  a  finely  written  story  of  a  great  hero. 
A  fine  biography  of  Charles  George  Gordon  by  Lieut.-General 
Sir  William  F.  Butler  is  included  in  "  The  EngHsh  Men  of 
Action  "  series. 

2.  In  what  ways  did  Gordon  illustrate  the  motto  chosen  for 
this  lesson? 

3.  Where  was  his  first  important  service?  What  person 
of  whom  you  have  studied  did  he  meet  there? 

4.  How  did  he  show  himself  fit  to  command  others  and  lead 
them  to  deeds  of  daring? 

5.  How  did  Gordon  come  to  be  called  "Chinese  Gordon"? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

6.  Write  a  short  story  of  General  Gordon,  bringing  out  the  points 
that  most  interest  you  in  his  life  and  character. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  1  Jo.  3  :16,  17;  verses  that  Gordon  loved,  and  the  spirit  of 
which  he  so  splendidly  illustrated. 


Lesson  41.     CHINESE  GORDON.     A  Modem  Sir  Galahad. 

"  Perfect  love  casteth  out  fear."      1  Jo.  4: 18. 

"  God  Bless  the  Kernel."  After  he  was  through  with  his 
work  in  China,  Colonel  Gordon  went  to  Gravesend,  as  Com- 
manding Royal  Engineer.  The  years  that  he  spent  here  ware 
the  happiest  of  his  Hfe,  and  they  were  happy  years  for  many 
others  too.     In  various  places  in  the  city  one  might  see  the 


Porty-one  Chinese  Gordon  201 

words,  chalked  upon  doors  and  fences  in  boyish  handwriting, 

"  God  bless  the  Kernel,"  and  this  was  the  tribute  of  praise 
from  many  a  ragged  little  urchin  whom  Colonel  Gordon  had 
befriended  and  helped.  His  house  was  a  refuge  and  home  for 
many  a  boy  without  home  or  friends  or  work.  There  they 
found  a  warm  welcome,  clothes,  food,  a  chance  to  start  in  life, 
and  a  friend  who  never  failed  them  or  forgot  them.  He  used 
to  have  a  map  of  the  world  hanging  over  his  mantelpiece  stuck 
full  of  pins,  and  these  pins  marked  the  places  where  **  his 
boys  "  were  at  the  time.  He  had  a  class  of  boys  that  he  used 
to  teach,  and  such  teaching  as  it  was !  He  taught  them 
geography,  and  told  them  the  most  exciting  stories  of  strange 
lands  and  battles  in  which  he  himself  had  fought.  He  never 
preached  at  them,  but  by  his  stories  and  even  more  by  his 
own  splendid  life,  he  taught  them  to  be  manly,  honest,  true 
men. 

If  one  of  his  boys  fell  sick,  the  "  Kernel  "  was  sure  to  be  at 
his  bedside,  stroking  the  fevered  head,  telling  stories,  or  sooth- 
ing the  restless  sufferer  until  he  fell  asleep.  Not  only  the  boys 
but  the  poor  and  helpless  and  suffering  of  every  age  came  to 
know  the  "  Kernel  "  and  bless  him  for  his  goodness.  One 
sick  woman  was  told  by  her  doctor  that  she  must  have  certain 
dainties  that  she  was  too  poor  to  buy.  Colonel  Gordon  found 
out  about  it,  and  after  that  she  had  what  she  needed  each 
day.  A  big  rough  sailor  lay  tossing  in  fever,  ^vithout  any 
care  or  attention  until  the  '*  Kernel  "  learned  of  it,  and  came 
night  after  night  to  sit  by  the  poor  fellow's  bed,  tending  him 
with  the  gentlest  care.  His  unselfishness  was  shown  in  the 
use  he  made  of  a  large  gold  medal  given  him  by  the  emperor 
of  China,  and  which  he  brought  home  to  England  as  one  of 
his  most  cherished  souvenirs  of  the  T'ai  P'ing  war.  Almost 
immediately  after  his  return,  and  without  telling  any  one 
from  whom  it  came,  he  gave  it  to  the  Coventry  Relief  Fund. 
Men  soon  learned  that  this  man,  who  never  spared  himself, 
and  who  could  lead  a  furious  charge  of  soldiers  in  a  deadly 
battle,  could  also  be  as  gentle  as  a  mother  and  as  loving  as 
any  true  Christian  gentleman  should  be. 

In  Egypt.  Gordon's  peaceful  days  at  Gravesend  came  to  an 
end  when  the  khedive  of  Egypt  invited  him  to  become  gov- 
ernor of  the  tribes  on  the  Upper  Nile.  Gordon  saw  an  oppor- 
tunity to  do  a  great  deal  of  good  to  a  very  needy  people  and 


202  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^««" 

accepted  the  post.  He  was  offered  a  salary  of  ten  thousand 
pounds  sterling,  or  about  $50,000.  He  knew,  however,  that 
this  large  sum  would  be  wrung  out  of  poor  people  by  exor- 
bitant taxes,  and  therefore  would  accept  only  two  thousand 
pounds.  The  Soudan,  as  this  part  of  Egypt  is  called,  is  a 
dreary  desert  country,  across  whose  plains  the  hot  winds 
sweep  driving  clouds  of  sand  that  cut  like  needles.  Thorny 
plants,  trees  with  fruit  like  apples,  but  deadly  poison,  taran- 
tulas, scorpions,  and  various  other  poisonous  insects  and 
reptiles  abound.  The  condition  of  the  people  is  quite  as 
dreary  as  the  country  itself.  The  people  were  poor,  oppressed, 
ignorant,  and  helpless.  The  country  was  especially  cursed 
by  the  slave  traffic,  with  all  the  horrors  that  Livingstone 
found  in  the  heart  of  Africa.  Gordon  set  himself  to  righting 
the  wrongs  of  these  wretched  people.  He  astonished  the 
Egyptian  officers  and  soldiers  by  the  way  he  went  at  things. 
They  were  used  to  officials  who  never  did  any  work  if  they 
could  help  it,  and  were  always  seeking  bribes.  Gordon,  as 
usual,  never  told  any  man  to  do  anything  that  he  was  not 
willing  to  do  himself,  and  any  one  who  dared  offer  him  a  bribe 
met  with  such  a  terrific  reprimand  that  he  was  not  likely  to 
try  it  a  second  time. 

Strange  Sights.  Gordon's  letters  describe  many  strange 
scenes  in  the  Soudan.  One  chieftain  came  to  see  Gordon 
wearing  an  elaborate  costume  consisting  of  a  string  of  beads. 
"  He  came  up  to  me,"  says  Gordon,  "  took  up  each  hand  and 
gave  a  good  soft  lick  to  the  backs  of  them ;  and  then  he  held 
my  face  and  made  the  motion  of  spitting  in  it."  This  was  a 
mark  of  great  respect  among  these  people,  but  one  that  was 
likely  to  be  misunderstood  by  strangers. 

As  Gordon  sailed  up  the  Nile  he  saw  great  crocodiles  bask- 
ing in  the  sun  with  their  mouths  wide  open.  Troops  of  mon- 
keys chattered  at  him  from  the  trees,  and  immense  hippo- 
potami wallowed  about  in  the  water  fighting  and  bellowing 
at  a  great  rate.  He  went  everywhere,  getting  from  place  to 
place  with  amazing  rapidity,  seizing  slaves  and  setting  them 
free  and  punishing  slave  traders  whenever  he  caught  them. 
He  taught  the  people  to  plant  and  reap  their  harvests,  gave 
them  grain,  listened  to  their  complaints  and  did  everything 
in  his  power  to  help  them  live  orderly  and  useful  lives.  Often 
the  people  themselves  were  to  blame  for  their  troubles.     One 


Forty-one  Chinese  Gordon  203 

man  stole  a  cow  and  ate  it.  A  little  later  Gordon  saw  that  one 
of  this  man's  children  was  missing.  Upon  inquiry  he  found 
that  the  boy  had  been  given  as  a  slave  to  the  man  who  lost 
the  cow,  to  make  good  the  theft.  But  with  all  his  tremen- 
dous energy  and  hard  work,  Gordon  found  that  he  was  not 
making  much  headway.  The  khedive  did  not  really  care  to 
abolish  slavery,  and  did  not  give  Gordon  the  support  that 
he  should  have  had.  So  Gordon  resigned.  Very  soon  the 
khedive  saw  that  his  going  was  a  great  loss,  and  begged  him 
to  come  back,  this  time  promising  him  every  possible  support 
in  the  work  he  had  to  do. 

Governor-General  of  the  Soudan.  Gordon  could  not  resist 
the  opportunity  to  do  so  great  a  work  as  seemed  now  possible, 
and  so  accepted  the  appointment  as  Governor-General  of  the 
Soudan,  and  started  back  again  to  Khartoum.  The  slaves 
were  organized  with  a  strong  army,  and  were  running  things 
much  as  they  pleased.  But  Gordon  had  lost  none  of  his 
courage,  and  was  used  to  fighting  against  heavy  odds.  Once 
he  heard  that  the  son  of  Sebehr,  king  of  the  slaves,  with  an 
army  of  six  thousand,  was  about  to  attack  a  small  garrison. 
At  once  he  set  off  alone,  on  his  camel,  riding  eighty-five  miles 
in  a  day  and  a  half,  and  arriving  covered  with  dust  and  flies. 
The  garrison  were  thunderstruck  when  he  arrived,  but  not 
half  so  much  as  were  the  slaves,  when  he  rode  into  their  camp 
the  next  morning  and  sternly  ordered  them  to  lay  down  their 
arms  and  disperse.  And  the  amazed  soldiers  obeyed,  com- 
pletely overawed  by  the  nerve  of  this  man  who  seemed  not 
to  know  what  fear  was. 

A  similar  instance  of  courage  was  shown  when  Gordon  went 
on  a  mission  to  the  king  of  Abyssinia,  a  most  savage  and  blood- 
thirsty tyrant.  The  king  treated  Gordon  insolently.  "  Don't 
you  know  that  I  could  kill  you?"  he  asked.  Gordon  replied 
that  he  was  quite  well  aware  of  that,  but  that  such  an  act 
would  be  only  conferring  a  favor  upon  him.  "  Then  my 
power  has  no  terrors  for  you?"  asked  the  king.  "  None 
whatever,"  replied  Gordon,  and  the  king  was  silenced. 

Gordon  again  resigned  his  post  as  Governor-General.  He 
was  worn  and  needed  rest,  and  returned  to  England  to  find  it. 
He  left  behind  him  a  reputation  that  any  man  might  envy, 
that  of  a  man  who  was  above  all  dishonesty,  who  had  no  fear 
of  death,  and  who  was  absolutely  just. 


204  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^«o^ 

His  Last  Commission.  In  the  course  of  time  one  Moham- 
med Ahmed,  a  dervish,  or  holy  man,  arose  in  Egypt  and  pro- 
claimed himself  to  be  the  deliverer  of  the  people.  Men 
flocked  to  his  banners  and  soon  he  had  a  great  army  and 
made  himself  master  in  the  Soudan.  But,  like  many  another 
self-proclaimed  "  deliverer,"  he  delivered  the  people  into  his 
own  power  and  then  used  that  power  cruelly.  Soon  the 
people  began  to  cry  for  help.  "  Give  us  another  governor 
like  Gordon  Pasha,"  said  they,  and  their  cry  was  heard  and 
answered.  England  was  interested  in  keeping  peace  and 
order  in  the  Soudan,  and  Gordon  was  picked  out  as  the  only 
man  who  could  do  it.  Before  long  he  was  on  his  way  back 
to  Khartoum,  never  to  return.  He' found  the  people  in  a 
panic,  and  it  took  all  of  his  strong  personality  and  influence 
to  calm  them.  The  common  people  crowded  about  him  and 
tried  to  kiss  his  hands  and  feet.  He  heard  their  complaints, 
threw  open  the  prisons,  set  free  prisoners  who  had  been  con- 
fined there  without  cause,  had  the  instruments  of  torture 
that  had  been  used  upon  them  burned,  and  in  other  ways 
showed  the  people  that  he  meant  to  govern  them  fairly  and 
kindly.  But  the  Mahdi,  as  the  self-styled  deliverer  was 
called,  had  gathered  a  strong  army  and  the  English  govern- 
ment did  not  appreciate  the  desperate  situation  in  which 
Gordon  was  placed,  and  so  failed  to  send  him  the  necessary 
support  soon  enough.  Gordon  was  finally  shut  into  Khar- 
toum, which  he  had  strongly  fortified  and  which  held  out  for 
a  long  time.  Day  after  day  he  would  walk  on  the  top  of  a 
tower  which  he  had  built,  looking  and  looking  for  the  relief 
that  never  came.  One  of  his  soldiers  afterward  said,  "  He 
seemed  never  to  sleep.  He  was  always  looking  after  his 
men."  As  food  grew  more  scarce,  he  denied  himself  that 
there  might  be  more  for  the  rest.  At  last  an  English  relief 
expedition  was  started.  The  officials  at  home  were  at  last 
aroused  to  the  seriousness  of  the  situation,  and  a  large  prize 
was  offered  to  the  regiment  that  should  first  reach  Khartoum. 
On  Dec.  14,  1884,  Gordon  wrote,  "  This  may  be  the  last  letter 
you  will  receive  from  me,  for  we  are  on  our  last  legs,  owing 
to  the  delay  of  the  expedition.  However,  God  rules  all,  and, 
as  He  will  rule  to  His  glory  and  our  welfare.  His  will  be  done." 
In  his  journal  he  wrote,  "  I  have  done  my  best  for  the  honor 
of  our  country.     Good-by.     C.  G.  Gordon." 

Khartoum  fell  at  last,  on  Jan.  26,  1885,  partly,  perhaps, 


Forty-one  Chinese  Gordon  205 

through  treachery,  although  it  could  not  have  held  out  much 
longer,  for  Gordon  and  his  men  were  weak  with  hunger  and 
their  ammunition  was  almost  gone.  Gordon  was  cut  to  pieces 
while  trying  to  rally  his  men,  and  the  city  was  given  over  to 
massacre  and  plunder.  A  new  palace  now  stands  on  the  site 
of  the  old  one,  and  in  the  garden  bloom  roses  on  bushes 
planted  by  Gordon  himself.  Gordon  College,  a  school  for 
the  black  boys  for  whom  he  fought  and  died,  is  a  most  fitting 
memorial  of  the  man,  but  better  still  is  the  loving  reverence 
with  which  the  people  of  the  Soudan,  and  all  who  knew  him, 
now  think  of  his  name.  The  tribute  written  to  him  by 
Lieutenant-General  Sir  William  F.  Butler  fitly  sums  up  the 
character  of  this  Christian  hero:  *'  Absolutely  without  a 
parallel  in  our  modern  life,  Gordon  stands  out  the  foremost 
man  of  action  of  our  time  and  nation  whose  ruling  principle 
was  faith  and  good  w^orks.  No  gloomy  faith,  no  exalted 
sense  of  self-confidence,  no  mocking  of  the  beliefs  of  others, 
no  separation  of  his  sense  of  God  from  the  everyday  work  to 
w^hich  his  hand  had  to  be  put ;  no  leaving  of  religion  at  the 
church-door  as  a  garb  to  be  put  on  going  in  and  taken  off 
coming  out;  but  faith  which  was  a  living,  moving,  genial 
reality  with  him,  present  always  and  everywhere,  shining  out 
in  every  act  of  his  life." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Finish  the  study  of  Gordon's  life  in  this  story  and  in 
other  books.  Besides  the  work  referred  to  in  the  last  lesson, 
there  is  an  interesting  life  by  G.  Barnett  Smith,  entitled 
General  Gordon,  the  Christian  Soldier  and  Hero. 

2.  What  do  you  think  would  have  most  impressed  you  in 
the  character  of  Gordon  if  you  had  known  him.? 

3.  Of  what  other  character  studied  in  this  course  does 
Gordon's  life  and  w^ork  remind  you? 

4.  What  incidents  seem  to  you  best  to  illustrate  his  really 
Christian  character? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

5.  Finish  your  sketch  of  the  life  of  Gordon,  telling  of  his  work  in 
Egypt.  Illustrate  the  story  with  a  picture  of  Gordon,  if  possible,  or 
with  an  outline  map  of  the  Soudan. 

6.  Write  down  any  ways  in  which  you  think  a  boy  or  girl  of  to-day 
might  imitate  Gordon. 


206  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^on 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  following  lines  written  by  Richard  Watson  Gilder  as  a 
tribute  to  Abram  Stevens  Hewitt,  a  man  who  did  much  for  the  cause 
of  better  government  in  our  great  cities.  They  apply  equally  well  to 
General  Gordon  : 

"  Mourn  for  his  death,  but  for  his  life  rejoice; 


'  Dauntless  in  youth,  impetuous  in  age, 
Weighty  in  speech,  in  civic  counsel  sage; 

"  Talents  and  wealth  to  him  were  but  a  trust 
To  lift  his  helpless  brother  from  the  dust ; 

"  This  his  chief  aim  :  to  wake,  in  every  man, 
The  soul  to  do  what  only  courage  can." 


Lesson  42.     WILLIAM  PENN.     A  Man  who  was  Fair. 

Born  Oct.  14,  1644;  died  July  30,  1718. 

"  The  wisdom  that  is  from  above  is  first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle, 
easy  to  be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  variance, 
without  hypocrisy."     Jas.  3  :  17. 

A  Name  Worth  Having.  The  name  of  one  of  the  greatest  of 
our  eastern  states  suggests  two  things  that  are  worthy  of 
remembrance  by  every  boy  and  girl  in  the  world.  The 
state  which  is  known  as  Pennsylvania  has  the  proud  dis- 
tinction of  being  one  of  the  very  few  districts  that  was  founded 
in  a  peaceful  manner,  without  bloodshed  or  the  desire  of 
conquest  on  the  part  of  its  founder ;  and  the  first  part  of  the 
name  recalls  the  man  who  accomplished  this  worthy  deed, 
William  Penn,  one  of  the  great  characters  of  the  world's 
history.  And  William  Penn  deserves  all  the  more  credit 
for  what  he  did,  because  his  ancestry  and  early  training  might 
have  been  expected  to  make  of  him  quite  a  different  man,  one 
who  would  be  a  great  soldier  and  fighter,  making  his  way 
through  force  of  arms  rather  than  by  kindness,  justice,  and 
fair  dealing. 

The  Admiral's  Son.  William  Penn's  father  was  Vice- 
Admiral  of  England,  a  very  distinguished  soldier  who  had 
risen  rapidly  and  stood  high  in  the  favor  both  of  the  Com- 


Forty-two  William   Penn  207 

monwealth  and  of  king  Charles  II.  He  wanted  his  children, 
and  especially  his  oldest  son,  to  be  brought  up  in  a  manner 
that  he  thought  fitting  to  their  rank.  He  was  anxious  that 
William  should  win  fame  and  honor  as  he. had  done.  He 
took  care  therefore  that  the  lad  should  have  the  best  of  school- 
ing, and  that  he  should  mingle  with  people  who  would  help 
him  politically  in  later  years.  But  very  early  in  life  William 
showed  a  serious  mind  and  a  tendency  to  care  more  for  religion, 
and  things  that  made  for  character,  than  for  military  honors 
or  political  advancement.  As  a  boy  he  had  for  his  playground 
the  shady  depths  of  Hainault  Forest,  and  as  he  looked  up  into 
the  green  roof  made  by  its  stately  trees,  his  mind  was  ir- 
resistibly led  to  dwell  upon  the  God  who  made  all  things, 
and  whose  temples  these  forests  seemed  to  be.  While  still 
a  boy  of  twelve  he  says  that  he  experienced  a  very  definite 
feeling  that  God  was  near  him  and  that  he  belonged  to  God, 
and  this  feeling  he  never  lost.  He  entered  Oxford  University 
when  he  was  about  fifteen,  and  there  he  became  interested 
in  the  simple  faith  and  simple  worship  of  the  Friends,  or 
Quakers,  as  they  were  then  called.  Soon  he  became  con- 
vinced that  the  formality  of  the  prevailing  worship  in  the 
Church  of  England  was  not  only  useless  but  even  wrong,  and 
he  began  to  withdraw  himself  from  those  services  and  meet 
with  those  who  cared  for  a  more  simple  worship.  This  not 
only  got  him  into  trouble  with  the  university  authorities, 
but  with  his  father  as  well,  for  the  old  admiral  saw  that  if  his 
boy  got  to  thinking  along  these  lines  he  w^ould  not  be  likely 
to  win  the  kind  of  honors  that  his  father  wanted  him  to  have. 

Tempted  and  Tried.  Sir  William  Penn  tried  various  plans 
to  counteract  this  tendency  which  he  disliked  in  his  son. 
He  sent  him  to  travel  in  France,  then  brought  him  to  reside 
in  London  where  he  would  be  brought  into  contact  with  the 
frivolous  and  even  immoral  court  life  of  Charles  II.  Later 
he  sent  him  to  Ireland  to  look  after  some  of  the  family  estates, 
and  tried  to  have  him  thrown  as  much  as  possible  into  the 
court  life  at  Dublin.  He  also  remonstrated  with  the  young 
man,  and  tried  to  dissuade  him  from  associating  with  the 
Quakers,  who  were  despised  and  looked  down  upon  at  that 
time.  But  all  these  attempts  failed.  Young  Penn  was 
gifted  with  one  great  blessing,  absolute  loyalty  to  his  best 
principles,  and,  although  at  times  he  was  led  away  a  little 


208  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^«««o^ 

by  the  attractions  of  the  life  into  which  he  was  thrown,  he 
always  came  back  again  to  the  ideals  in  which  he  most  be- 
lieved. 

A  Great  Calamity.  While  William  was  a  young  man  a  great 
pestilence  called  "  The  Plague,"  swept  over  the  city  of  Lon- 
don, carrying  off  a  hundred  thousand  people  in  six  months, 
and  this  was  followed  by  a  great  fire  which  reduced  the  whole 
city  to  ashes.  The  fire  was  probably  a  blessing,  in  that  it 
wiped  out  the  plague,  but  it  was  a  terrible  scene,  and  im- 
pressed William  Penn  anew  with  the  comparative  worthlessness 
of  houses  and  riches  and  things  that  could  be  thus  destroyed. 
Not  long  after  this  he  associated  himself  openly  with  the 
Quakers  and  attended  their  meetings  and  spoke  at  many  of 
them  himself. 

His  Father's  Anger.  The  hardest  thing  he  had  to  meet  was 
the  anger  of  his  father  who,  finding  that  neither  persuasion 
nor  threats  would  move  his  son  from  the  principles  he  had 
adopted,  finally  cast  him  out  and  forbade  him  to  enter  his 
house.  But  this  only  had  the  effect  of  throwing  William 
more  than  ever  into  the  society  of  his  Quaker  friends.  His 
mother  stood  by  him  and  helped  him  all  she  could,  and  finally 
his  father  became  reconciled  to  him  and  at  his  death  admitted 
that  his  son  was  right  in  following  out  his  convictions. 

Imprisonment  and  Trial.  In  those  days  it  was  the  law  that 
all  meetings  and  gatherings  for  religious  worship  other  than 
those  of  the  Church  of  England  were  unlawful,  and  under  this 
law  the  Quakers  and  other  nonconformists  were  persecuted. 
Penn  was  arrested  among  others  for  addressing  a  meeting  in 
one  of  the  streets  of  London.  Having  studied  law  he  con- 
ducted his  own  case  and  so  ably  that  the  jury  refused  to  con- 
vict him.  The  judge  tried  to  intimidate  the  jury  and  force 
them  to  bring  in  a  verdict  pleasing  to  himself.  Penn  pro- 
tested against  this  violation  of  the  principle  of  fairness  and 
justice,  and  the  jury  stood  firm.  In  this  bold  fight  Penn 
really  won  a  victory  that  meant  a  great  deal  for  the  liberties 
of  his  countrymen  for  all  time,  and  he  showed  the  quiet 
firmness  that  characterized  all  his  conduct  when  matters  of 
principle  were  involved. 

The  King's  Debt.  Penn  had  inherited  from  his  father  a 
debt  owed  by  the  king,  and  he  finally  obtained  a  grant  of  land 


Porty-two  William  Pcnn  209 

in  America  in  payment  of  this  obligation.  The  land  granted 
him  was  named  Pennsylvania,  and  by  the  terms  of  the 
charter  Penn  was  its  absolute  owner  and  governor.  The 
charater  was  granted  in  1681,  and  in  the  following  year  Penn 
sailed  for  America  to  take  possession.  Even  before  reaching 
America  he  had  issued  a  proclamation  stating  the  conditions 
of  government  of  the  new  territory,  and  these  conditions 
were  so  fair  to  all  concerned  as  to  be  a  marvel  to  the  men  of 
that  time.  No  man  could  have  more  land  than  he  really 
could  make  use  of.  The  rights  of  the  Indians  were  especially 
safeguarded  so  that  unprincipled  traders  could  not  cheat 
them  or  deprive  them  of  their  just  rights.  This  was  par- 
ticularly remarkable  at  that  time,  when  most  men  regarded 
the  native  inhabitants  of  such  lands  as  fair  game  for  all  sorts 
of  injustice  and  oppression. 

Penn's  Meeting  with  the  Indians.  One  of  the  first  things 
that  Penn  did  upon  landing  in  America  was  to  meet  these 
native  subjects  of  his.  The  meeting  took  place  at  Shacka- 
maxon  on  the  Delaware  river.  It  was  a  strange  scene.  On 
the  one  hand  were  Penn  and  a  small  company  of  Quakers, 
unarmed,  Penn  distinguished  from  the  rest  only  by  a  blue 
sash  about  his  waist;  on  the  other,  a  great  company  of  sav- 
ages, fully  armed  and  able  to  wipe  out  this  little  company 
of  white  men  in  a  moment. 

But  they  had  already  learned  that  these  white  men  were 
different  from  most  they  had  known.  A  chief  advanced  from 
the  rest  and  put  a  small  horn  on  his  head  as  a  signal  that  this 
spot  was  sacred.  At  once  all  the  Indians  threw  down  their 
weapons  and  seated  themselves.  Penn  then  stepped  forward 
with  a  parchment  on  which  were  written  the  terms  of  his 
treaty  with  them.  He  told  them  that  they  were  all  children 
of  the  same  Great  Spirit,  and  that  he  desired  that  all  should 
live  together  in  peace,  brotherly  kindness  and  good  will. 
He  then  solemnly  laid  the  parchment  upon  the  ground  in 
token  that  the  soil  was  common  to  both  parties.  Thus  was 
concluded  a  treaty  begun  and  finished  in  peace,  and  one  of 
the  very  few  treaties  ever  made  with  the  Indians  which  was 
never  violated  by  the  white  men.  The  great  elm  tree  under 
which  the  meeting  was  held  was  lon.o:  considered  a  sacred  spot, 
and  so  highly  did  the  memory  of  Penn  come  to  be  regarded 
that  when,  in  1755,  the  British  army  was  encamped  near  this 


210 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson 


William  Penn. 


Spot,  their  general  stationed  a  guard  about  this  tree  to  prevent 
the  soldiers  from  cutting  any  of  its  branches  for  fire-wood. 

Keeping  the  Faith.  Penn  remained  governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania throughout  the  rest  of  his 
life  and  the  province  was  pur- 
chased from  his  heirs  by  the 
British  government  in  1776. 
He  had  troubles  and  hardships 
enough  in  his  old  age.  One  well- 
loved  son  died,  and  the  remain- 
ing one  caused  him  great  anxiety 
and  sorrow  by  a  wild  and  dissi- 
pated life;  his  enemies,  who 
hated  him  for  his  religious  prin- 
ciples and  his  power,  were  con- 
stantly attacking  him,  and  once 
succeeded  in  having  him  re- 
moved as  governor  of  Pennsyl- 
vania for  a  short  time.  He  lost 
a  great  deal  of  money  through 
But  through  it  all  he  remained  the 
same  upright,  kind,  just  and  generous  Christian  man.  The 
name  of  the  great  city  he  founded  suggests  his  character,  for 
Philadelphia  means  Brotherly  Love.  Few  names  in  the  his- 
tory of  our  country  are  worthy  of  higher  honor,  and  the  prin- 
ciples for  which  Penn  stood  would  make  a  better  and  happier 
nation  for  us  all,  if  they  were  more  generally  followed. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story  and  look  up  in  your  United  States 
history  or  other  books  all  that  you  can  learn  about  the  found- 
ing of  Pennsylvania  and  Penn's  dealings  with  the  Indians. 

2.  What  kind  of  influences  surrounded  Penn's  early  life  ? 

3.  How  does  the  life  of  William  Penn  illustrate  Jas.  1 :  12? 

4.  What  was  remarkable  about  Penn's  government  of 
Pennsylvania  and  the  Indians? 

5.  What  difference  would  it  have  made  in  the  history  of  our 
country  if  every  one  had  dealt  with  the  Indians  in  the  same 
spirit  that  Penn  did? 

6.  What  suggestions  might  we  take  from  the  example  of 
Penn  for  the  treatment  of  foreigners  who  come  to  our  country 
now? 


the  neglect  of  his  agents. 


^<»-ty-three  George  T.  Angell  211 

7.   Do  you  know  of  any  cases  in  which  the  principle  of 
fairness  is  violated  in  our  treatment  of  foreigners  ? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

8.  Write  a  story  of  William  Penn  and  the  settlement  of  Pennsylvania, 
illustrating  it  with  what  pictures  you  can  find,  such  as  Penn's  Treaty 
with  the  Indians  (Brown  No.  2250);  Penn's  Home;  The  Treaty  Tree; 
and  a  map  of  Pennsylvania  which  you  can  either  draw  or  cut  out  of  a 
map  of  the  United  States. 

9.  Write  down  some  of  the  benefits  that  you  think  would  come  if 
the  principles  of  William  Penn  were  followed  out  more  fully  in  the 
life  of  your  own  town  or  city  or  in  the  nation. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  the  motto  of  this  lesson  and  Jas.  1:12;  also  some  of  the 
following  extracts  from  Penn's  writings. 

"  If  thou  thinkest  twice  before  thou  speakest  once,  thou  wilt  speak 
twice  the  better  for  it." 

"  Let  nothing  be  lost,  said  our  Saviour;  but  that  is  lost  which  is 
misused." 

"  Seek  not  to  be  rich  but  to  be  happy.  The  one  lies  in  bags;  the 
other  in  content." 

"  Nothing  needs  a  trick  but  a  trick.     Sincerity  hates  one." 


Lesson  43.     GEORGE  T.  ANGELL.     Who  "Spoke  for  Those 
that  Cannot  Speak  for  Themselves." 

Born  June  5,  1823;  died  Mar.  16,  1909. 

**  Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for  a  penny?  and  not  one  of  them  shall 
fall  on  the  ground  withotit  your  Father."     Mt.  10:29. 

"  He  giveth  to  the  beast  his  food, 
And  to  the  young  ravens  which  cry."     Ps.  147:  9. 

**  A  righteous  man  regardeth  the  life  of  his  beast ; 
But  the  tender  mercies  of  the  wicked  are  cruel."      Prov.  12:  10. 

A  Youthful  Champion.  On  a  crowded  street  in  one  of  our 
large  cities  a  crowd  stood  one  day  watching  the  efforts  of  a 
splendid  pair  of  horses  as  they  struggled  to  drag  a  too  heavily 
loaded  wagon  out  of  a  deep  mud-hole  into  which-  the  hind 
wheels  had  slid.  The  horses  were  straining  and  plunging, 
while  the  driver  upon  the  wagon-seat  was  lashing  furiously 
at  them  with   his  heavy  whip.     The   crowd   of  bystanders, 


212  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^^'^^ 

which  was  growing  larger  every  moment,  looked  on  with 
varying  comments,  but  nothing  else.  One  man  told  the 
driver  that  he  had  too  much  of  a  load  on  his  wagon ;  another 
volunteered  the  information  that  he  was  a  brute  to  pound  his 
horses  so;  a  number  of  others  laughed  and  jeered  at  his  pre- 
dicament. Suddenly  a  little  curly-headed  chap,  poorly 
dressed,  but  alive  and  energetic,  dodged  through  the  crowd 
and  ran  straight  to  the  horses,  with  uplifted  hand.  "  Quit 
pounding  yer  team,  and  come  down  here,  and  we'll  give  ye  a 
lift,"  he  cried;  then,  with  an  imperious  wave  of  his  hand  to 
the  crowd  on  the  sidewalk,  "  Come  on  out  here,  some  of  you 
fellows,  and  grab  hold  of  these  wheels."  The  crowd  laughed, 
then  some  one  said,  "  Good  for  you,  sonny  !"  and  half  a  dozen 
of  them  obeyed  his  command.  The  little  fellow  ran  to  the 
horses'  heads,  stroked  their  noses  a  moment,  then  stepped 
one  side.  "  Now  then,  hist !"  and  to  the  driver,  "  Drop  yer 
whip,  and  talk  to  'em."  The  driver  grinned  sheepishly, 
gathered  up  the  reins  and  spoke  to  his  team;  a  dozen  strong 
arms  strained  at  the  spokes,  and  the  wagon  rolled  out  onto 
firm  ground.  **  You're  all  right,  kid,"  said  one  of  the  men; 
**  who  are  you,  a  junior  member  of  the  force?"  pointing  to  a 
five-pointed  star  pinned  to  the  boy's  blouse.  "  Go  on,  that's 
my  Band  of  Mercy  badge,"  replied  the  boy.  "  You'd  better 
wear  one  of  them  yourself,  and  then  you  won't  stand  around 
and  let  a  fellow  beat  his  team  to  death,"  and  with  that  he 
made  off  down  the  street. 

The  Founder  of  the  Bands  of  Mercy.  Perhaps  some  of  those 
who  read  this  story  have  seen  or  worn  one  of  these  five-pointed 
stars  with  "  KINDNESS,  JUSTICE,  MERCY  TO  ALL  " 
engraved  upon  it,  and  the  words  "  Glory  to  God,  Peace  on 
Earth,  Good  Will  to  All  "  upon  the  inner  circle.  If  so,  you 
ought  to  know  more  about  the  man  who  first  started  these 
bands  in  the  public  schools  of  our  country,  and  who  did  more 
than  any  other  one  man  to  educate  people  to  be  kind  instead 
of  cruel  to  the  dumb  brutes  of  God's  world.  George  T.  Angell 
was  the  son  of  a  minister  in  Southbridge,  Mass.  His  father 
died  while  he  was  very  young,  and  his  mother  had  to  work 
hard  to  support  herself  and  her  son  and  give  him  an  education. 
George  helped,  too,  and  from  the  time  he  was  fourteen  prac- 
tically made  his  own  way,  working  his  way  through  college 
and  a  law  course.     He  became  a  successful  lawyer,  and  his 


Forty -three 


George  T.  Angell 


213 


skill  in  this  line  was  always  at  the  disposal  of  those  who  needed 
it  most.  He  took  many  a  case  for  cUents  who  could  afford 
to  pay  but  little,  but  who  were  in  danger  of  being  wronged 
because  of  their  lack  of  ability  to  defend  themselves. 

A  Defender  of  Dumb  Brutes.  From  childhood,  George 
Angell  was  fond  of  animals — horses,  cattle,  dogs,  cats,  all  ol 
them.  He  was  constantly  interfering  to  save  them  from  ill- 
treatment,  and  he  had  plenty  of  chances  to  do  so.  People 
did  not  think  so  much  about  the  rights  of  animals  as  they  do 
to-day,  and  many  practices  were  common  that  were  exceed- 
ingly inhuman.  Cattle  were  taken  to  market  on  trains  with- 
out food  or  water,  they  were  driven  into  pens  at  the  slaughter- 
houses with  pitchforks,  their  sides  bleeding  from  the  savage 
thrusts.  Calves  were  bled  several  times  before  being  killed, 
to  make  their  flesh  more  delicate,  and  sheep  that  had  been 
shorn  of  their  fleeces  were  allowed  to  stand  shivering  in  cold 
weather  before  they  were  killed  for  mutton. 

A  Cruel  Race.  The  incident  that  especially  aroused  Mr. 
Angell,  and  led  to  the  formation  of  the  Massachusetts  Society 
for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals,  was  a  race  in  which 
two  horses  were  driven  about  forty  miles,  drawing  two  men 
each  over  rough  roads.  The  winning  horse  dropped  dead 
at  the  finish,  and  the  other  died  soon  after.  Mr.  Angell 
wrote  to  the  newspapers  protesting 
against  such  inhumanity,  and  ask- 
ing others  to  unite  with  him  in 
putting  a  stop  to  such  things. 
Some  of  the  leading  citizens  of 
Boston  responded  to  the  call,  and 
the  society  was  formed. 

A  Campaign  of  Education.     Mr. 

Angell  saw  that  the  first  thing  to 

do  was  to  educate  the  people  and 

let  them  know  of  the  cruelties  that 

were   being   practised   daily.      He 

therefore    started    a    paper,    Our 

Dtimh    Animals,  which   has   been 

published  ever  since.     In  the  first 

issue  of  the  paper  he  desired  to 

give  the  public  accurate  information  concerning  the  conditions 

that  existed  in  the  slaughter-houses  of  the  city.     Two  men 


^w;,/ 


George  T.  Angell. 


214  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^«s^^ 

whom  he  employed  to  get  the  information  for  him  backed  out 
at  the  last  moment,  fearing  personal  injury.  Just  at  this  time 
a  tall,  hard-looking  man  came  into  the  office  and  handed  him 
ten  dollars,  saying  he  wanted  to  join  his  society.  He  gave  his 
address  as  Brighton.  "  Do  you  know  anything  about  the 
slaughter-houses  out  there?"  asked  Mr.  Angell.  "  I  ought  to," 
was  the  reply.  "  I've  run  one  on  'em  for  twenty  years,  and 
I've  done  enough  cruelty  to  animals;  now  I'm  going  to  see 
if  I  can't  do  'em  some  good."  Mr.  Angell  got  just  the  infor- 
mation he  wanted,  and  two  hundred  thousand  copies  of  it 
went  out  to  the  people,  thereby  helping  greatly  to  correct  the 
abuses  that  existed. 

Educating  the  Children.  Mr.  Angell  saw  that  the  best 
place  to  begin  educating  people  to  be  kind  was  in  the  schools, 
for  children  naturally  love  animals  and  are  kind  to  them 
when  they  stop  to  think  about  it.  So  he  began  organizing 
the  Bands  of  Mercy  all  over  the  country.  He  lectured  before 
teachers'  meetings  and  prepared  lessons  on  kindness  to  ani- 
mals, to  be  used  in  the  schools..  He  went  further,  and  secured 
in  many  places  the  organization  of  Legions  of  Honor  in  the 
schools,  with  a  five-fold  pledge: 

1.  To  speak  no  falsehood; 

2.  To  use  no  profane  language ; 

3.  To  show  respect  to  the  aged ; 

4.  To  protect  from  cruelty  all,  both  human  and  dumb; 

5.  To  endeavor  at  all  times  to  maintain  the  right. 

An  Important  Lecture.  On  one  occasion  Mr.  Angell  had 
engaged  a  hall  at  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  to  lecture  on  kindness  to 
animals.  On  reaching  the  hall  a  little  early,  he  found  it  dark, 
and  only  the  janitor  and  half  a  dozen  boys  present.  "  Why 
don't  you  light  up  the  hall?"  he  asked.  "  Thought  I'd  wait 
and  see  if  anybody  was  coming,"  was  the  reply.  "  Why, 
here's  half  a  dozen  boys,  already,"  said  Mr.  Angell.  "  You 
ain't  a  goin'  to  lectur'  to  them  boys,  be  ye?"  inquired  the 
janitor.  "  Certainly  I  am,"  said  Mr.  Angell.  **  One  of  these 
boys  may  be  governor  of  Vermont  one  of  these  days,  for  all 
I  know."  The  hall  was  lighted,  an  audience  gathered,  and 
there  is  now  a  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals 
in  that  city. 

Other  Services.     Mr.  Angell  did  not  confine  himself  solely 


Forty.three  GeOTgC   T.   Angcll  215 

to  the  protection  of  animals,  but  did  some  very  important 
things  in  attacking  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  adulterated 
foods,  drugs,  and  other  articles.  The  worst  of  such  evils  is 
that  the  poor  suffer  the  most  from  them,  the  lives  of  little 
babies  being  often  sacrificed  to  impure  milk  and  drugs  from 
the  sale  of  which  men  make  themselves  wealthy.  In  attack- 
ing these  evils  Mr.  Angell  incurred  the  enmity  of  large  cor- 
porations, and  once  found  himself  being  followed  about  the 
streets  by  a  man  who  had  already  been  tried  for  murder,  and 
whom  he  suspected  to  be  in  the  employ  of  those  whose  prac- 
tices he  was  attacking.  But  none  of  these  things  ever  caused 
him  to  hesitate  or  desist  from  his  efforts  to  protect  those  who 
needed  defense,  whether  it  w^ere  the  dumb  brutes  who  could 
not  speak  for  themselves,  or  the  poor  people  who  did  not 
know  how  to  speak  for  themselves  or  defend  themselves 
effectively. 

An  Honored  Life.  Mr.  Angell  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  work- 
ing hard  all  the  time,  and  frequently  harder  than  his  strength 
would  really  permit.  He  traveled  all  over  the  country,  giving 
lectures,  writing  for  the  papers,  publishing  books  and  pam- 
phlets, and  in  every  way  possible  educating  people  to  be 
thoughtful  of  the  weak  and  defenseless.  At  his  death  thou- 
sands of  people  all  over  this  country  were  glad  to  do  him  honor 
for  the  good  he  had  accomplished.  Of  him  may  well  be  said 
those  lines  of  the  poet  Coleridge, 

"  He  prayeth  best  who  loveth  best 
All  things  both  great  and  small, 
For  the  dear  God  who  loveth  us. 
He  made  and  loveth  all." 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story,  and  look  up  whatever  you  can 
find  about  the  work  of  the  Society  for  the  Prevention  of 
Cruelty  to  Animals,  the  American  Humane  Education  Society, 
and  the  Bands  of  Mercy. 

2.  How  did  Mr.  Angell  first  come  to  found  these  societies? 

3.  What  other  humane  services  did  he  render? 

4.  What  laws  are  there  in  your  city  or  town  for  the  protec- 
tion of  animals? 

5.  What  violations  of  these  laws  have  you  noticed? 


216  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^^««^" 

6.  What  can  you  and  other  boys  and  girls  do  to  secure 
kinder  treatment  of  animals  in  your  community? 

7.  'What  can  you  find  in  the  Bible,  other  than  the  mottoes 
selected  for  this  lesson,  about  animals,  or  birds,  and  God's 
care  for  them?  See,  for  instance,  Gen.  2:19;  Deut.  25:4; 
Ps.  104:25-27;  Lu.  12:24.     Can  you  find  others? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

8.  Write  a  short  sketch  of  Mr.  Angell  and  his  work.  Appropriate 
illustrations  for  this  lesson  would  be  some  of  Landseer's  animal  pic- 
tures, especially  "  A  Member  of  the  Humane  Society  "  (Brown  No.  101). 
Or  if  you  have  a  Kodak  picture  of  one  of  your  own  pets,  use  that. 

9.  Write  something  about  your  favorite  pet. 

10.  Make  a  list  of  the  things  that  are  forbidden  by  law  in  the  wa}* 
of  ill-treatment  of  animals  in  your  town,  and  note  how  boys  and  girls 
may  help  enforce  such  laws. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  some  one  of  the  mottoes  selected  for  this  lesson,  or  the  lines 
from  Coleridge  at  the  end,  or  any  selection  of  your  own  choice  which 
expresses  the  sentiment  of  kindness  and  mercy. 


Lesson   44.     FRANCES    E.   WILLARD.     A   Pioneer   in   the 
Higher  Education  of  Women. 

Born  Sept.  28,  1839;   died  Feb.  18,  1898. 

"  The  path  of  the  righteous  is  as  the  dawning  light. 
That  shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day."     Prov.  4: 18. 

"  Forest  Home."  Had  you  chanced  about  1850  to  pass 
along  the  Rock  River  near  Janesville,  Wis.,  you  would  have 
seen  a  low,  rambling  cottage  covered  with  clambering  vines 
and  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  flower  garden  that  was  the 
admiration  of  people  for  miles  around.  This  was  "  Forest 
Home."  Just  inside  the  front  gate  you  would  have  noticed  a 
tall  oak  tree  on  which  was  nailed  a  board  bearing  in  large 
black  letters  these  words: 


THE  EAGLE'S  NEST— BEWARE 


If  you  had  looked  up  into  the  top  of  the  tree  for  the  nest,  you 
tnight   have   seen    instead    a    comfortable    seat   among   the 


Forty-four  Frances  E.  Willard  217 

branches,  and  on  it  a  delicate,  blue-eyed  girl,  Frances  Eliza- 
beth Willard,  then  eleven  years  old,  busily  engaged  in  study  or 
sketching.  Her  family  were  recent  comers  to  that  portion  of 
the  great  middle  West,  which  only  a  few  years  before  had 
begun  to  attract  streams  of  settlers  from  the  Eastern  states. 
An  older  brother,  Oliver,  and  a  younger  sister,  Mary,  with  the 
parents,  made  up  the  members  of  a  singularly  happy  and 
cultured  home.  In  the  spring  you  might  have  seen  the  two 
girls  with  bags  of  seed  tied  to  their  waists,  and  hoe  in  hand, 
helping  to  plant  the  garden,  not  as  work  but  "  just  for  fun." 
A  little  later  you  would  see  one  or  the  other  of  the  girls  rid- 
ing the  horse  when  Oliver  cultivated  the  corn.  Once  when 
Frances  was  weeding  the  garden  she  pulled  up,  along  with  the 
weeds,  a  good-sized  snake  by  the  tail,  which  checked  some- 
what her  eagerness  for  that  particular  work.  In  the  hot 
summer  days  the  girls  would  carry  a  large  pail  of  "  harvest 
drink,"  made  of  w^ater,  molasses  and  ginger,  to  the  thirsty 
toilers  in  the  field.  Unlike  many  people  of  that  time,  Frances' 
father  would  allow  no  alcoholic  drinks  in  the  home  or  on  the 
farm.  In  this  healthful  life,  practising  nearly  every  outdoor 
sport,  learning  to  love  all  that  was  good  in  nature  and  the  best 
in  books,  the  Willard  children  spent  twelve  happy  years. 

A  Born  Leader.  In  the  Milwaukee  Female  College,  w^here 
Frances  remained  only  a  few  months,  she  soon  found  herself 
the  center  of  a  large  and  charming  circle  of  friends.  To  one 
of  them  she  became  devotedly  attached,  and  never  rested 
until,  like  her,  she  heard  every  week  read  out  after  her  own 
name,  "  ten,  ten,"  which  meant  perfect  scholarship  and  con- 
duct. That  sturdy  independence  which  marked  her  mature 
years  had  a  fine  illustration  on  her  eighteenth  birthday,  when 
she  seated  herself  on  the  porch  at  home  and  began  reading 
Scott's  Ivanhoe.  When  her  father,  who  had  strictly  forbidden 
novel  reading,  found  what  the  book  was,  he  was  naturally 
amazed,  and  still  more  so  at  her  defense:  "  I  am  eighteen 
to-day,  and  I  do  not  have  to  obey  any  laws  but  those  of  God 
hereafter.  In  my  judgment /z^aw/^o^  is  good  to  be  read."  He 
was  on  the  point  of  taking  the  book  from  her  by  force,  w^hen, 
thinking  better  of  it,  he  said  laughingly,  "  Well,  we  will  try 
to  learn  God's  laws,  and  obey  them  together,  my  child."  In 
college  Frances  quickly  became  the  acknowledged  leader  in 
scholarship  and  in  all  the  activities  of  college  life.     While  as 


218  Heroes  of  the  Faith  Lesson 

fond  of  a  good  time  as  any  girl  to-day,  and  as  eager  for  a  joke 
or  a  romp,  her  teachers  could  always  rely  on  her  good  sense 
to  draw  a  sharp  line  between  innocent  fun  and  frolic  and  the 
silly  or  harmful  escapades  in  which  students  are  often  tempted 
to  indulge. 

Religious  Convictions.  It  is  impossible  to  understand 
Frances  Willard's  later  life  without  some  knowledge  of  those 
deep  religious  convictions  that  formed  a  part  of  her  inmost 
life  and  ruled  all  her  conduct.  She  had  been  brought  up  in  a 
home  where  religion  was  not  only  a  matter  of  belief  but  of 
daily  practice.  As  a  lisping  child  she  had  learned  the  entire 
first  chapter  of  John's  gospel.  Her  father's  favorite  lullaby 
song  when  he  rocked  her  to  sleep  was  the  old  hymn,  "  A  charge 
to  keep  I  have,"  one  stanza  of  which  was  certainly  prophetic 
of  the  great  future  that  lay  before  the  little  girl  in  his  arms. 

"  To  serve  the  present  age, 
My  calling  to  fulfil, 
Oh,  may  it  all  my  powers  engage, 
To  do  my  Master's  will." 

In  the  closest  and  sweetest  companionship  with  her  mother, 
she  learned  to  see  God  in  every  fragrant  flower  and  singing 
bird,  and  to  set  before  herself  those  high  ideals  which  marked 
all  her  thinking  and  conduct.  And  yet  it  was  not  until  she 
was  nineteen  years  old,  and  recovering  from  a  severe  sickness, 
that  she  deliberately  and  fully  gave  herself  to  God  and  united 
with  the  Methodist  church  in  Evanston,  111.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  that  saintly  life  whose  sweetness  and  power  were 
to  be  felt  not  only  in  her  own  land  but  in  other  lands  as  well. 

A  Gifted  Teacher.  When  Frances  Willard  was  twenty-one, 
she  resolved  to  make  her  own  way  in  the  world.  **  I  have 
remained  in  the  nest  a  full-grown  bird  long  enough,"  she  said. 
It  was  not  merely  her  wish  to  be  independent  that  led  her  to 
take  this  step,  but  a  feeling  that  she  needed  hard  discipline 
in  order  to  make  the  most  of  herself.  Few  employments 
aside  from  teaching  were  then  open  to  young  women,  so  there 
was  little  difificulty  in  making  a  choice.  Not  until  she  had 
obtained  her  first  position  in  a  little  red  schoolhouse  ten  miles 
from  Chicago  did  she  tell  her  father,  who  at  first  strongly 
opposed  her  purpose,  but  was  soon  won  over  by  her  arguments. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  her  brilliant  life  as  a  teacher,  which 
covered  sixteen  years,   and  in  which  she  advanced  rapidly 


Fcrtv-toyo'  Frances  E.  Willard  219 

from  the  little  country  schoolhouse  to  the  presidency  of 
Evanston  College  for  Ladies,  she  being  the  first  woman  ever 
to  hold  such  a  position.  Here  she  grappled  su'ccessfully 
with  many  hard  problems  in  education.  Her  institution  of 
the  Roll  of  Honor  Club  showed  how  well  she  understood  the 
art  of  government.  After  a  month's  perfect  observance  of 
all  the  rules  a  pupil  might  become  a  member,  and  after  being 
tested  a  sufficient  length  of  time  promoted  to  the  self-governed 
class,  who  enjoyed  the  same  freedom  as  the  teachers  them- 
selves. So  successful  was  the  experiment  that  at  the  end  of 
a  year  twelve  girls  were  self-governed  and  all  the  rest  on  the 
Roll  of  Honor. 

Set  Free  for  Larger  Work.  After  the  union  of  the  Evanston 
College  for  Ladies  with  the  Northwestern  University,  differ- 
ences of  opinion  as  to  matters  of  government  arose  between 
Miss  Willard  and  the  university  officials.  These  differences 
were  of  such  nature  that  she  could  no  longer  in  justice  to  her 
conscientious  convictions  retain  her  connection  with  the 
institution.  The  crisis  was  the  most  painful  through  which 
she  was  ever  called  to  pass.  Without  knowing  where  she 
was  going  or  what  was  before  her,  she  gave  up  what  she  had 
hoped  would  be  a  position  for  life,  and  left  a  career  in  which 
she  had  won  brilliant  success  as  well  as  the  passionate  love 
and  loyalty  of  the  young  women  under  her  care.  She  did  not 
know  then  that  all  her  past  life  had  been  merely  a  preparation 
for  larger  things,  and  that  the  uprooting  process  was  needed 
to  set  her  free  for  the  supreme  work  of  her  life. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  In  addition  to  the  lesson  story,  read  all  you  can  find 
about  Frances  E,  Willard  in  books  or  sketches  of  her  life.  Al- 
most every  public  library  and  many  private  homes  will  con- 
tain the  story  of  her  life  by  Anna  A.  Gordon.  Get  what  in- 
formation you  can  about  Wisconsin  in  184G  when  Frances' 
parents  moved  there. 

2.  What  was  the  character  of  Frances  Willard 's  early 
home? 

3.  What  quality  did  she  reveal  in  early  life  that  afterwards 
made  her  famous? 

4.  How  did  her  religious  life  unfold  itself? 

6.  How  did  she  show  her  sturdy  independence? 


220  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^e««o» 

6.  What  was  her  success  as  a  teacher? 

7.  Why.  did  she  leave  this  work? 

8.  Mention  some  of  the  many  new  Hnes  of  work  that  have 
opened  to  women  since  Frances  Willard  chose  teaching.  To 
what  did  she  owe  her  success  as  a  teacher?  Can  genuine  suc- 
cess be  won  by  those  who  have  not  her  brilhant  powers" 
What  constitutes  success? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

9.  Write  the  name  of  "  Frances  E.  Willard  "  at  the  top  of  a  nev 
page,  and  add  the  dates  of  her  birth  and  death.  For  a  picture  of  her 
get,  if  possible.  Brown  No.  71. 

10.  Make  notes  of  interesting  items  of  information  about  her  e?rh 
life  found  in  books  and  periodicals. 

11.  Write  a  brief  statement  of  some  reasons  why  you  think  France 
Willard's  pupils  from  first  to  last  almost  idolized  her. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Commit  to  memory  Ps.  146: 1-6.  This  psalm  was  the  first  Scriptun 
read  in  connection  with  the  Women's  Temperance  Crusade  in  Ohio,  anr" 
came  to  be  adopted  and  known  as  the  "  Crusade  Psalm." 


Lesson  45.    FRANCES  E.  WILLARD.     Leader  of  the  Whit 
Ribbon  Host. 

"  Many  daughters  have  done  worthily, 
But  thou  excellest  them  all."     Prov.  31:29. 

The  Woman's  Temperance  Crusade.  Some  six  months  be 
fore  Miss  Willard  broke  her  connection  with  the  North- 
western University  a  remarkable  temperance  movement 
started  at  Hillsboro,  Ohio,  and  swept  like  a  prairie  fire  over  the 
cities  and  towns  of  the  state  and  into  large  parts  of  the  coun- 
try. Its  characteristic  feature  was  the  processions  of  women, 
refined,  cultured,  delicate,  who  marched  from  their  homes  to 
the  saloons  singing  hymns,  praying  and  pleading  with  the  rum 
sellers  to  give  up  their  wicked  traffic.  In  fifty  days  it  had 
driven  every  saloon  out  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  towns  and 
villages.  Miss  Willard  became  deeply  interested,  and  read 
everything  she  could  get  hold  of  that  tcld  ?bout  the  move 
ment. 


Forty-five 


Frances  E.  Willard 


221 


The  Choice  of  a  New  Career.  So  enthusiastic  about  terri- 
perance  did  Miss  Willard  become  that  after  making  two  public 
addresses  she  exclaimed,  "  To  serve 
such  a  cause  would  be  utterly  en- 
thralling, if  I  only  had  more  time — 
if  I  were  more  free."  That  free- 
dom came,  was  thrust  upon  her,  as 
it  were,  by  the  harrowing  conflict 
with  the  university  officials  which 
led  her  to  sever  her  connection 
with  the  institution.  Without 
knowing  where  the  money  would 
come  from  with  which  to  defray 
her  own  and  her  mother's  expenses, 
she  threw  herself  heart  and  soul 
into  the  movement,  even  going 
East  to  study  the  situation  and 
to  confer  with  the  leaders.  One 
day  while  visiting  in  Cambridge, 
Mass.,  she  received  two  letters,  one  offering  her  the  position 
of  lady  principal  in  a  fashionable  school  in  New  York  City, 
with  a  liberal  salary  and  freedom  to  choose  her  own  work. 
The  other  begged  her  to  take  the  presidency  of  the  Chicago 
branch  of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union,  which 
lacked  organization  and  could  offer  little  financial  inducement. 
Miss  Willard  chose  the  latter  at  once,  and  so  entered  at  last 
upon  the  great  work  of  her  life. 


Frances  E.  Willard. 


Genius  for  Organization.  That  rare  capacity  for  organiza- 
tion which  showed  itself  when  as  a  young  girl  Frances  Willard 
organized  herself  and  her  sister  Mary  into  several  "  clubs," 
and  which  found  increasing  expression  in  her  work  as  teacher 
and  college  president,  reached  its  fullest  development  in  the 
cause  of  temperance.  Every  vital  principle  that  enters  into 
the  upbuilding  of  modern  trusts  she  thought  out  and  made  use 
of  in  the  fight  against  intemperance  and  vice  and  for  the  pro- 
tection of  family,  home,  and  native  land.  The  Woman's 
Christian  Temperance  Union  was  a  comparatively  new"  and 
somewhat  despised  organization  when  she  entered  it.  But 
under  her  inspiring  leadership  it  became  on  the  one  hand  the 
most  hated,  and  on  the  other  the  most  blessed,  reformatory 
agency  in  the  cotmtry,  simply  because  she  made  it  the  most 


222  Heroes  of  the  Faith  •  i««««» 

powerful.  In  five  years  she  was  chosen  president  of  the 
National  Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union,  and  as  such 
visited  and  spoke  in  every  city  and  town  of  ten  thousand 
inhabitants  in  the  United  States  and  in  many  of  smaller  size. 
In  1883  she  traveled  thirty  thousand  miles,  and  for  twelve 
years  she  averaged  one  meeting  a  day  with  only  six  weeks  a 
year  for  mother  and  home.  The  railway  train  became  her 
almost  constant  workshop,  in  which  addresses  were  prepared, 
reports  and  editorials  written,  a  huge  correspondence  at- 
tended to,  and  larger  plans  devised  for  the  scores  of  interests 
related  to  her  main  work.  Sightseeing  was  out  of  the  question 
when  the  time  could  possibly  be  used  for  an  address  or  the 
organization  of  a  Union.  **  The  goal  of  her  consecrated 
ambition  was  a  universal  sisterhood  united  in  a  common 
cause,  and  she  was  deaf  to  all  sounds  and  blind  to  all  sights 
that  might  lure  her  from  that  goal."  Wherever  she  went 
Unions  sprang  up  as  if  by  magic.  Most  of  the  state  and  ter- 
ritorial Unions  in  the  South  and  far  West  owed  their  existence 
to  her.  This  success  was  due  not  only  to  her  rare  personal 
magnetism  and  to  the  new  faith  which  she  inspired  in  the 
cause  for  which  she  spoke,  but  to  her  almost  resistless  power 
as  a  harmonizer.  Her  first  tour  in  the  Southern  States  gave 
the  women,  sitting  crushed  amidst  the  wreckage  of  their  past, 
the  first  ray  of  hope  for  the  future.  It  became  the  direct 
means  of  bringing  together,  for  the  first  time  after  the  war, 
the  women  of  the  North  and  the  South,  side  by  side  in  a  great 
convention. 

Woman^s  Suffrage.  Only  two  years  had  passed  when  Miss 
Willard  became  thoroughly  convinced  that  the  only  solution 
for  the  temperance  problem  lay  in  giving  women  the  right  to 
vote,  at  least  on  questions  that  related  to  the  liquor  trafiic. 
None  had  suffered  so  much  from  its  ruinous  effects  on  the 
home  as  woman,  and  none,  she  felt,  if  given  a  chance,  would 
rise  so  powerfully  for  its  suppression.  When  this  conviction 
came  to  Miss  Willard  it  was  coupled  with  another  equally 
strong — that  she  must  be  the  public  advocate  of  woman's 
suffrage.  Her  friends  advised  against  it.  She  was  refused 
permission  to  speak  on  the  subject,  but  some  months  later, 
at  the  annual  convention  of  the  National  Woman's  Christian 
Temperance  Union  in  187G,  she  took  a  firm  stand  on  the  sub- 
ject.    She  was  told  that  she  had  throvm  away  all  her  chances 


Forty-fivt  Frances  E.  Willard  223 

for  leadership,  but  only  three  years  later  that  organization 
declared  in  favor  of  the  ballot  for  women,  and  since  then  no 
other  organization  has  done  so  much  to  shape  public  opinion 
in  this  direction. 

Founder  of  the  World^s  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union.  Miss  Willard's  rare  powers  of  discernment  enabled 
her  to  see  in  the  small  and  despised  organization  with  which 
she  had  connected  herself  an  instrument  for  making  woman's 
power  felt  around  the  world.  Not  until  1883,  eight  years 
after  her  first  utterance  on  the  subject,  was  the  time  ripe  for 
an  attempt  to  realize  the  idea  of  a  world's  Union.  No  sooner, 
however,  was  it  suggested  than  women  everywhere  took  hold 
of  it  with  enthusiasm,  and  now  the  organization  is  firmly 
established  in  almost  every  land  in  every  continent.  It 
seeks  to  protect  the  home  from  intoxicating  beverages, 
opium  and  social  vice.  One  of  its  great  achievements  was 
the  monster  "  Polyglot  Petition,"  which  represented  in  one 
way  or  another  the  signatures  of  seven  and  a  half  millions 
of  people  in  fifty  nationalities,  and  which  was  presented  in 
succession  to  the  rulers  of  all  those  countries.  Of  Frances 
Willard,   Whittier  said  truthfully  and  beautifully: 

"  She  knew  the  power  of  banded  ill, 
But  felt  that  love  was  stronger  still, 
And  organized  for  doing  good 
The  world's  united  womanhood." 

Rest  at  Last.  For  the  space  of  twenty-four  years  Miss 
Willard  gave  her  strength  w4th  passionate  devotion  to  the 
cause  that  she  loved.  When  she  ceased  from  toil,  millions 
in  this  and  other  lands  had  been  inspired  and  lifted  by  her 
gentle  and  persuasive  ministry.  In  1905  Congress  met  in  the 
national  Statuary  Hall  in  the  Capitol  at  Washington  to 
accept  from  the  State  of  Illinois  a  statue  of  one  of  her  most 
illustrious  citizens.  It  represented  a  woman,  the  type  of  all 
that  is  best,  purest  and  noblest  in  American  womanhood — 
Frances  E.  Willard. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Follow  the  directions  given  in  the  preceding  lesson. 
Find  out  all  you  can  in  regard  to  the  work  of  the  Woman's 
Christian  Temperance  Union  in  your  own  city  or  town,  also 
about  the  work  of  the  National  and  the  World's  Union.     Get 


224  Heroes  of  the  Faith    •  Lesson 

what  information  you  can  about  the   Woman's  Temple  in 
Chicago. 

2.  What  was  the  nature  of  the  Woman's  Temperance  Cru- 
sade? 

3.  How  did  Miss  Willard  come  to  join  the  temperance 
movement? 

4.  What  remarkable  powers  of  hers  were  now  given  full 
play? 

5.  Why  did  Miss  Willard  advocate  women's  right  to  vote? 

6.  How  did  her  influence  become  world-wide? 

7.  What  do  you  consider  the  most  striking  trait  in  Miss 
Willard 's  character?  Why  is  total  abstinence  from  intoxi- 
cating drinks  a  wise  course  to  pursue?  Why  is  it  the  only 
safe  course?  What  warnings  against  the  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors  can  you  find  in  the  Bible?  What  would  be  the  prob- 
able effect  on  the  liquor  traffic  if  women  were  given  the  right 
to  vote? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

S.  Continue  the  notes  on  the  previous  lesson  by  adding  further  in- 
teresting items  of  information  from  books  or  periodicals. 

9.  Make  a  list  of  the  various  organizations  and  reforms  to  which 
Miss  Willard  gave  time  and  thought. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Commit  to  memory  the  remainder  (vss.  7-10)  of  the  Crusade  Psalm. 


Lesson  46.     HEROES   OF  TO-DAY.     Men  who   Count  not 
their  Lives  Dear  unto  Themselves. 

•'Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  you  like  men,  be  strong. 
Let  all  that  ye  do  be  done  in  love."      1  Cor.  16: 13,  14. 

The  Heroic  Spirit  Still  Alive.  Sometimes,  when  we  read 
the  accounts  of  great  men  and  women  who  have  lived  in 
days  gone  by,  and  have  done  heroic  things  and  made  great 
names  for  themselves,  we  are  apt  to  think  that  they  were  of 
different  stuff  than  men  are  now,  and  that  if  we  had  lived  in 
those  days  and  places,  we  would  have  been  heroes  too. 
But  there  are  heroes  living  to-day,  some  of  whom  we  have 


Forty-iix 


Heroes  of  To-day 


225 


seen  and  heard  about,  who  are  doing  just  as  noble  deeds 
as  any  that  have  ever  been  wrought,  and  it  may  do  us  good 
to  know  something  about  them. 

The  Hero  of  the  Northern  Seas.  Some  years  ago  the 
people  of  the  Labrador  coast,  a  bleak  and  barren  line  of 
rocks,  beaten  by  the  storms  and  worn  smooth  and  bare  by 
the  ice,  were  amazed  to  see  a  young 
doctor,  who  was  also  a  master  mari- 
ner, appear  in  their  harbors  in  a  little 
steam  launch.  The  navigation  of  those 
waters  is  accompanied  by  dangers  that 
even  the  bravest  of  a  brave  and  sturdy 
race  of  fishermen  often  hesitate  to  en- 
counter. They  do  encounter  them 
because  they  have  to  in  order  to  make 
their  living  catching  the  fish  that  you 
and  I  want  to  -eat.  But  this  man 
outdid  the  bravest  of  them  in  the 
way  he  faced  the  fiercest  storms,  not 
for  his  own  gain,  but  in  order  to 
bring  healing  and  comfort  to  those 
in  sore  need.  There  are  but  very 
few  doctors  on  the  Labrador  coast,  and  some  of  those  who 
have  been  there  were  hardly  worthy  of  the  name.  The 
people  live  in  isolation  and  poverty,  and  are  quite  helpless 
in  the  face  of  illness.  It  had  been  no  uncommon  thing  for 
men  and  women  and  little  children  to  lie  month  after  month 
in  suffering  and  pain,  and  even  to  die  because  no  doctor  was 
at  hand  who  could  cure  them.  This  young  doctor,  whose 
name  is  Wilfred  T.  Grenfell,  heard  of  the  condition  in  which 
these  people  lived,  and  came  over  from  England  to  give 
himself  to  the  work  of  the  Royal  National  Mission  to  Deep 
Sea  Fishermen.  For  several  years  he  has  been  going  up 
and  down  this  coast,  in  his  hospital  ship,  Strathcona,  during 
the  summer,  and  by  dog-train  and  sledge  during  the  winter. 
He  has  faced  the  perils  of  storm  and  tempest,  fog  and  freezing 
cold.  He  has  broken  trails  through  the  winter  snows  with 
his  dog-train  for  six  hundred  miles  up  and  down  that  barren 
coast,  in  order  to  bring  rescue  to  those  who  were  sick.  On 
one  occasion  he  went  through  the  ice  and  drifted  for  more 
than  twenty-four  hours  upon  an  ice  pan,  unt^  rescued  by 


Wilfred  T.  Grenfell. 


226  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^»»o^ 

some  fishermen  in  a  boat  which  they  forced  through  the  ice 
at  the  peril  of  their  own  Hves.  Dr.  Grenfell  has  faced  the. 
wrath  of  greedy  traders  who  were  preying  upon  the  help- 
lessness of  the  people  and  keeping  them  poor.  By  the 
establishment  of  co-operative  stores,  he  has  helped  these 
men  to  help  themselves  and  get  free  from  the  grasp  of  the 
traders,  and  all  of  this  has  been  without  any  hope  of  gain 
other  than  the  reward  of  knowing  that  he  has  ministered 
in  the  spirit  of  Christ  to  those  in  sore  need.  He  has  two 
mottoes,  one,  "  As  the  Lord  wills,  whether  for  wreck  or  service. 
I  am  about  His  business  ";  and  the  other,  "  What  a  man 
does  for  the  love  of  God,  he  does  differently." 

The  Heroes  of  Cherry  Mine.  Cherry  is  a  little  town  in  the 
state  of  Illinois,  mostly  inhabited  by  coal  miners  and  their 
families.  They  are  Scotch,  English,  German,  French,  Irish, 
Polish,  Scandinavian,  and  no  one  knows  how  many  other 
nationalities,  but  when  the  mine  caught  fire  in  November, 
1909,  the  differences  of  birth  disappeared  and  most  of  them 
proved  themselves  men.  Two  great  shafts  run  down  into 
the  ground  to  the  galleries  of  the  coal  veins,  the  deepest  one 
being  more  than  five  hundred  feet  below  ground.  Down 
there  are  stables  where  the  mules  are  kept,  that  haul  the 
car-loads  of  coal  to  the  shafts,  up  which  they  are  lifted  on 
the  cages  that  run  like  elevators  to  the  surface.  A  car-load 
of  hay  was  sent  down  for  the  stables,  and  in  some  way  the 
hay  caught  fire  from  a  torch.  Before  it  could  be  extin- 
guished, the  timbers  that  supported  the  walls  of  the  mine 
had  caught  fire,  and  soon  it  became  evident  that  the  lives  of 
five  hundred  men  were  in  serious  danger.  There  are  two 
perils  in  such  a  mine  fire,  one  that  the  gases  from  the  burning 
coal  will  explode,  the  other  that  the  fresh  air  will  be  burned 
out  and  the  men  will  suffocate.  Andrew  Lettson,  a  boy 
from  the  lower  vein,  who  helped  to  put  out  the  fire  on  the 
car  of  hay,  ran  up  to  the  second  vein,  lifted  the  trap-door, 
and  saw  the  flames  and  smoke  in  the  air-passage  and  air- 
shaft,  already  nearly  cutting  off  the  chance  of  escape.  He 
might  have  gone  on  and  been  safe.  Instead,  he  turned 
back,  went  down  again  to  the  lowest  vein,  sent  a  mule-driver 
to  warn  the  men  who  were  nearest  at  hand  of  their  danger, 
while  he  himself  went  back  three  hundred  yards  to  where 
more  were  at  work.     He  got  out,  and  with  him  many  others 


Forty-six  Heroes  of  To-day  227 

who  would  otherwise  have  perished.  Some  one  tried  to 
praise  him  for  his  bravegy,  but  he  rephed,  "  Why,  I  had 
my  chance,  and  I  thought  the  rest  ought  to  have  the  same." 
Lettson,  Thomas  Hewitt,  the  mule-driver,  and  John  Brown, 
who  helped  Lettson  extinguish  the  burning  hay,  saved  the 
lives  of  all  who  got  out  of  the  third  vein  that  day.  Hewitt 
was  the  last  man  to  leave  that  vein  alive.  He  urged  Brown 
to  follow,  but  Brown  stood  back  in  the  midst  of  the  smoke 
and  the  horror,  and  said,  "  I  won't  go  until  every  man  is  out 
of  this  part  of  the  mine."  As  they  came  up  to  the  level  of 
the  second  vein  they  found  men  streaming  out  from  the 
passages  into  the  runway  leading  to  the  bottom  of  the  shaft, 
up  which  the  cage  was  bearing  men  to  safety.  Here  Lettson 
stopped  and  held  a  light  at  the  turn  of  the  runway  to  show 
the  struggling  men  the  way  to  safety.  Another  lad,  named 
Vickers,  stood  at  another  turn  holding  a  light  until  it  went 
out.  When  that  light  went  out,  it  meant  that  the  air  had 
already  gotten  so  bad  that  a  little  worse  would  mean  death. 
Some  one  gave  him  another  Hght,  and  that  went  out.  Then 
he  got  a  lantern  and  managed  to  hang  that  on  a  nail  just  as 
a  blast  of  smoke  and  fire-damp  drove  him  stumbling,  stran- 
gling toward  the  exit.  As  he  reached  it  he  fell  fainting,  but 
some  one  seized  him,  saying,  "  Take  my  hand,  brother," 
and  dragged  him  on  into  safety. 

Meanwhile  there  was  agony  of  fear  above  ground.  Thick 
black  smoke  was  rolling  from  the  mouth  of  the  shaft,  and 
men,  women  and  children  were  rushing  to  the  mine.  The 
women  stood  helpless,  not  knowing  whether  they  would  ever 
again  see  those  who  were  dear  to  them  down  in  that  dreadful 
pit.  Of  the  men,  many  tore  themselves  from  the  detaining 
hands  of  wives  and  children,  to  step  upon  the  little  cage 
and  go  down  into  the  smoke  and  flame  in  the  hope  of  rescuing 
others,  and  many  of  them  never  saw  the  sunlight  again. 
Down  they  went  into  the  blackness  where  they  could  find 
men  only  by  stumbling  over  their  prostrate  bodies,  and  then 
dragging  them  to  the  cage  and  throwing  them  on  to  be 
hauled  up  again.  And  so  it  went  on,  until  at  last  the  fire 
had  gotten  so  bad  that  the  only  hope  of  saving  anything 
more  was  by  covering  the  mouth  of  the  two  shafts  and  sealing 
them  in  order  to  smother  the  flames.  This  was  done,  and 
the  women  and  children  whose  husbands  and  sons  and 
brothers  were  still  down  there  felt  hope  die  in  their  hearts. 


228  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^«««on 

Meanwhile  deeds  of  heroism  were  going  on  down  below. 
Two  mine  bosses,  Walter  Waite  aijd  George  Eddy,  had  gone 
so  far  into  the  mine  to  warn  others,  and  send  them  out  to 
safety  that  they  could  not  get  back  by  the  same  road.  Guid- 
ing a  small  party  of  men,  they  started  back  by  the  last 
possible  road  to  the  main  shaft,  when  suddenly  they  saw 
three  mules  drop  dead  just  ahead  of  them.  To  the  ex- 
perienced miners  this  told  the  story  of  the  deadly  fire-damp. 
Turning  to  Mr.  Eddy,  Mr.  Waite  said,  "  We  are  caught  like 
rats  in  a  trap."  They  went  back  to  a  spot  where  the  air 
seemed  fresher.  There  they  were  joined  by  two  others 
who  had  made  their  way  almost  to  the  main  shaft,  only  to 
find  it  a  roaring  furnace.  Mr.  Waite  led  the  party,  now 
twenty  in  number,  into  a  gallery  where  the  air  was  still 
fresh,  and  there  they  built  a  barrier  to  keep  out  the  fire- 
damp, although  at  the  same  time  they  sealed  themselves  in. 
Then  they  sat  down  to  wait.  There  was  nothing  else  to  do 
but  wait,  until  the  end  came.  After  a  time  Waite  said  he 
thought  it  would  be  a  good  time  to  have  some  kind  of  a 
service,  for  if  ever  men  needed  the  comforts  of  religion  and 
faith  in  God,  they  did.  He  offered  a  prayer.  And  then 
his  voice  rang  out  in 

"  Rock  of  Ages,  cleft  for  me, 
Let  me  hide  myself  in  Thee, 
Let  the  water  and  the  blood 
From  Thy  side,  a  healing  flood, 
Be  of  sin  the  double  cure, 
Save  from  wrath  and  make  me  pure." 

They  all  joined  in.  Then  they  sang  other  hymns,  anything 
they  knew.  Mr.  Waite  told  stories,  even  humorous  ones. 
He  did  everything  he  could  to  keep  up  the  courage  of  those 
about  him.  They  suffered  from  hunger,  and  worse  still, 
from  thirst.  One  man  claimed  that  the  strongest,  who  had 
the  best  chance  of  living,  ought  to  have  what  little  water 
there  was,  as  the  weak  and  sick  would  die  any  way.  But 
the  manhood  of  the  rest  arose  against  this,  and  the  weak 
were  given  protection.  One  man  was  caught  stealing  an- 
other's turn  at  the  little  hollow  where  the  water  dripped 
down.  The  rest  persuaded  him  not  to  do  that  any  more. 
They  persuaded  him  with  an  axe-handle.  But  with  a  fine 
sense  of  chivalry  not  one  of  the  party  would  ever  give  that 
man's  name  when  they  all  got  above  ground  again.     **  Let 


forty-six  Heroes  of  To-day  229 

what  happened  down  there  go,"  was  all  they  would  say. 
The  end  of  the  story  is  that  after  eight  days  of  imprisonment 
the  party  were  saved.  Mr.  Waite  could  tell,  by  placing  his 
hand  at  the  barrier,  when  the  mine  was  unsealed.  On  the 
second  Saturday  morning  he  felt  fresh  air.  A  hole  was  made 
large  enough  for  a  man  to  crawl  out.  Four  of  the  strongest 
went  ahead  to  test  the  air.  Four  more  waited  by  the  barrier, 
ready  to  rush  out  and  drag  the  first  four  back,  if  they  were 
overcome.  If  the  first  four  found  an  open  passageway  and 
good  air,  they  were  to  whistle  twice.  After  what  seemed 
an  eternity  the  whistles  were  heard.  The  men  at  the  barrier 
sent  back  a  cheer  to  their  comrades,  and  all  started  to  creep 
along  the  corridor.  Three  hours  after  the  first  four  had 
started  out,  Waite  saw  two  little  lights  ahead.  They  belonged 
to  the  men  with  the  oxygen  helmets  who  had  come  in  to 
rescue  them. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  lesson  story,  and  thien  read  whatever  else  you 
can  find  about  these  heroes.  The  story  of  Dr.  Grenfell  is 
told  in  the  following  books.  Dr.  GrenfelVs  Parish,  by  Norman 
Duncan;  The  Harvest  of  the  Sea,  Off  the  Rocks,  Vikings  of 
To-day,  Adrift  on  an  Ice  Pan,  all  by  Dr.  Grenfell.  Norman 
Duncan  has  also  written  an  intensely  interesting  story.  Dr. 
Luke  of  the  Labrador,  which  gives  a  good  idea  of  the  condi- 
tions of  life  on  the  Labrador  coast.  Miss  Edith  Wyatt  has 
written  a  thrilling  account  of  the  Heroes  of  the  Cherry  Mine 
in  McClure's  Magazine  for  March,   1910. 

2.  Tell  the  stories  of  Dr.  Grenfell  and  of  the  heroes  of  the 
Cherry  mine  disaster. 

3.  How  does  the  quality  of  their  courage  compare  with  that 
of  men  who  do  heroic  deeds  in  the  thick  of  a  battle? 

4.  Read  Mt.  25:34-40  and  Jo.  15:13,  and  note  how  they 
apply  to  the  deeds  narrated  in  this  lesson. 

5.  What  is  the  name  of  the  work  represented  by  Dr.  Gren- 
fell, and  how  can  we  help  in  it? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

6.  Write  a  short  story  of  Grenfell  or  of  the  Cherry  mine  heroes, 
whichever  one  appeals  most  to  you. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Mt.  25:34-40  and  Jo.  15:  13. 


230  Heroes  of  the  Faith  ^«««ow 

Lesson   47.     HEROINES   OF  TO-DAY.     Leaders   in   Loving 

Service. 

"This  woman  was  full  of  good  works  and  almsdeeds  which  she 
did."  Acts  9:36. 

A  Gracious  Ministry.  If  you  were  to  go  to  Chicago  and 
visit  Hull-House  on  South  Halsted  Street,  you  would  find 
it  an  institution  standing  in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  crowded 
sections  of  the  city,  surrounded  on  every  hand  with  the 
homes  of  people  who  have  little  of  this  world's  goods  and  little 
of  the  inspiration  and  opportunity  which  money  or  social 
position  bring  to  people.  Entering  the  reception  hall  of  the 
main  building,  you  would  probably  find  a  number  of  people 
who  looked  as  if  they  were  waiting  to  see  some  one.  You 
might  see  in  one  corner  of  the  hall,  or  perhaps  in  another 
room,  a  quiet,  refined,  resourceful  looking  woman,  a  glance 
at  whom  would  make  you  feel  at  once  that  here  was  one  to 
be  trusted  and  loved.  Gentleness,  refinement,  poise  and  a 
sense  of  power  are  the  marked  characteristics  of  her  per- 
sonality. And  if  you  should  watch  her  as  she  counsels  with 
some  weary  mother,  harassed  over  the  difficulties  into  which 
husband  or  son  had  fallen,  or  perplexed  over  the  struggle 
to  make  ends  meet,  or  with  some  young  girl  troubled  over 
the  difficulties  that  beset  one  who  tries  to  make  her  way  in 
the  world  without  the  protection  of  such  homes  as  most  of 
us  enjoy,  you  might  see  that  she  had  a  word  of  sound  advice 
for  each,  and  a  marvelous  resourcefulness  in  meeting  diffi- 
culties. And  if  you  watched  closely  the  faces  of  those  with 
whom  she  talked,  you  might  get  some  glimpse  of  the  reason 
why  hundreds  and  thousands  of  women  all  over  that  great 
city  and,  indeed,  all  over  this  country,  regard  Jane  Addams 
with  a  feeling  little  short  of  adoration.  And  if  you  read  the 
account  of  her  life,  beginning  in  the  American  Magazine 
for  April,  1910,  you  will  see  that  she  left  a  home  of  comfort 
and  beauty,  and  a  life  which  might  have  been  full  of  ease 
and  enjoyment,  to  cast  in  her  lot  with  those  who  needed  a 
helping  hand,  and  more  of  the  inspiration  for  higher  living 
than  they  could  possibly  find  for  themselves.  So  she  came 
to  Chicago  and  began  to  live  at  Hull-House,  as  a  neighbor 
among  neighbors,  to  get  acquainted  with  the  people  who  work 
and  struggle,  and  to  work  with  them  for  better  things.  She 
has  been  their  champion  in  distress,  their  deliverer  from 


Forty.sevcn  Heroines  oj  To-day  231' 

injustice  and  oppression;  best  of  all,  she  has  been  their 
interpreter  to  those  who  did  not  know  them  and  therefore 
were  careless  of  their  needs.  Little  by  little  she  won  the 
confidence  of  those  who  were  at  first  suspicious  of  her  motives. 
It  seemed  so  hard  to  understand  that  one  who  did  not  have 
to  do  so  should  come  to  share  their  life,  that  people  sus- 
pected some  hidden  motive.  But  that  has  gone  by  now, 
long  since.  Now,  when  the  working  women  and  girls  find 
themselves  beset  by  troubles  that  they  do  not  know  how 
to  solve  they  turn  as  naturally  to  Jane  Addams  as  to  their 
nearest  and  dearest.  And  she  has  room  in  her  heart  for 
them  all — the  little  children  who  have  no  good  place  to  play, 
the  young  girls  away  from  home  who  do  not  know  how  to 
take  care  of  themselves,  the  hard-working  women  for  whom 
life  is  an  unending  round  of  bitter  toil ;  she  knows  their  needs, 
and  she  has  helped  to  meet  many  of  them.  If  it  is  a  case  of 
injustice  or  oppression,  she  knows  how  to  fight  loyally  but 
kindly,  until  justice  is  done.  If  it  is  a  case  of  providing 
opportunities  for  recreation  for  the  children,  she  finds  a  way 
to  the  hearts  of  those  who  can  make  such  provision.  If  it 
is  just  a  case  of  warm-hearted,  loving,  womanly  counsel, 
none  can  give  it  better  then  she. 

It  has  not  been  easy  work.  For  most  of  her  life  Miss 
Addams  has  been  far  from  strong,  and  many  a  day  has  to 
be  spent  in  forgetting  her  own  pain  and  weariness  and  feeble- 
ness in  the  joy  of  lightening  the  load  for  others.  She  has 
not  always  been  appreciated.  Many  thought  her  very 
peculiar  when  she  chose  to  live  at  Hull- House.  Many  have 
said  unkind  things  about  her  when  they  did  not  agree  with 
her  way  of  understanding  duty  and  Christian  service.  But 
even  that  is  passing  away  now,  and  to-day  there  is  an  in- 
creasing number  of  those  who  delight  to  call  Jane  Addams 
the  first  woman  of  America.  The  inspiration  of  her  life 
has  gone  out  beyond  those  to  whom  she  ministers  most 
directly.  She  has  not  only  shown  higher  ideals  of  life  to 
the  working  girls;  she  has  also  inspired  many  a  favored 
woman  to  use  her  wealth  and  intellectual  power  and  social 
resourcefulness  for  the  betterment  of  the  world  and  the 
uplifting  of  her  less  fortunate  sisters. 

The  Good  Angel  to  the  Prisoner.     There  is  another  noble 
woman  whose  name  is  loved  and  honored  by  many  in  this 


232 


Heroes  of  the  Faith 


Lesson 


land,  perhaps  most  of  all  by  those  whose  misfortune  and 
wrongdoing  have  brought  them  into  prison.  This  is  Mrs. 
Maud  Ballington  Booth,  of  the  Volunteers  of  America.  Her 
ministrations  have  been  given  in  full- 
est sympathy  to  the  poor  and  the 
distressed  of  every  age  and  both 
sexes.  The  outcast  women  of  the 
slums,  the  ragged  and  helpless  chil- 
dren of  the  tenements,  the  wretched 
of  every  kind  have  learned  to  bless 
her.  But  she  has  done  no  greater 
work  than  that  of  establishing  in 
many  of  our  penitentiaries,  the  Volun- 
teer Prison  League,  in  which  about 
eight  thousand  men  are  enrolled. 
The  object  of  this  work  is  to  help 
these  men  to  live  better  lives  and 
in.^TlntrrTri';.™  to  give  those  who  try  to  reform  a 
oTLeag^e."^  *°'  *^^  Volunteer  Prie-  chancc  to  do  bcttcr  after  they  leave 
the  prison.  The  members  of  the 
league  take  a  pledge  which  includes  these  points:  (j)  Faith- 
fully to  obey  the  prison  regulations;  (2)  to  refrain  from  evil 
language  or  practices  while  in  prison;  (j)  to  live  an  upright 
life  and  to  endeavor  to  persuade  others  to  do  the  same ;  (4) 
to  pray  and  engage  in  devotional  reading  every  day.  Homes 
have  been  established,  called  Hope  Halls,  to  which  dis- 
charged prisoners  may  come,  and  where  they  may  remain 
until  positions  are  found  for  them  to  enable  them  to  get  a 
fresh  start  in  life.  Many  a  man  has  been  practically  forced 
back  into  a  life  of  crime,  simply  because  no  one  would  give  a 
discharged  convict  a  fair  chance  for  an  honest  living.  Mrs. 
Booth  has  visited  the  prisoners,  talked  with  them,  counseled 
them,  mothered  them  and  loved  them  with  a  devotion  little 
short  of  divine.  She  keeps  up  a  constant  correspondence 
with  "  her  boys  "  both  in  and  out  of  prison,  and  some  idea 
of  the  labor  this  means  is  seen  in  the  statement  that  she 
has  known  what  it  is  to  be  several  hundred  letters  behind  in 
this  correspondence.  And  in  the  midst  of  all  the  scenes 
of  misery  and  crime  which  she  has  witnessed,  she  has  moved 
with  a  womanly  dignity  and  Christian  graciousness  that 
make  her  worthy  to  be  called  the  Good  Angel  of  the  Prisoner. 
The  Heroine  of  the  Red  Cross.     Clara  Barton  is  another 


forty-seven  Heroines  of  To-day  233 

name  worthy  of  high  honor  on  the  rolls  of  American  woman- 
hood. She  began  life  as  a  school-teacher,  but  was  not  con- 
tent with  doing  the  ordinary  work  that  might  have  brought 
her  an  assured  income  and  comparative  ease.  She  saw  the 
need  of  a  free  school,  to  reach  those  not  provided  for.  She 
started  one  with  six  pupils  and  left  it  with  six  hundred. 
During  the  Civil  War  her  heart  was  touched  with  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  sick  and  wounded  at  the  front,  and,  like  Florence 
Nightingale,  she  determined  to  do  what  she  could  to  relieve 
them.  She  was  appointed  "  lady  in  charge  "  of  hospitals 
with  the  Army  of  the  James.  Since  that  time  her  name 
has  been  honored  among  American  soldiers  as  Florence 
Nightingale's  was  among  the  English.  When  the  American 
Red  Cross  Society  was  formed,  Clara  Barton  was  its  first 
president.  In  times  of  peace  its  services  were  no  less  needed 
than  in  those  of  war.  Wherever  disaster  has  occurred,  from 
fire  or  flood  or  earthquake,  there  the  Red  Cross  has  come 
to  direct  the  work  of  relief  and  remedy.  This  society  has 
replaced  the  old  methods  of  hit-or-miss  charity,  with  their 
mistakes  and  wastefulness,  by  the  organized,  systematic 
administration  of  relief  in  such  manner  as  to  do  the  most 
good  with  the  least  outlay,  and  to  leave  people  able  to  take 
care  of  themselves  instead  of  being  pauperized. 

A  Teacher  of  Red  Men.  Still  another  name,  not  so  widely 
known,  deserves  honorable  mention  among  these  examples 
of  heroines  of  to-day.  Twelve  years  ago.  President  McKinley 
appointed  a  woman,  Estelle  Reel,  to  be  superintendent  of 
Indian  Schools,  and  to  assume  the  difficult  task  of  educating 
these  wards  of  the  nation  who  have  suffered  so  much  from 
the  neglect  and  injustice  of  the  white  men.  She  came  well 
equipped  to  this  work.  As  a  child  in  her  Illinois  home,  she 
had  heard  from  missionary  cousins  of  the  scenes  of  adventure 
in  the  great  West,  and  even  then  she  formed  the  desire  and 
purpose  to  help  educate  the  Indian.  She  had  some  years' 
experience  as  a  teacher  in  the  West  before  her  chance  came. 
She  has  brought  to  her  work  a  sympathetic  understanding 
of  the  traits  and  conditions  of  this  child  of  nature,  and  has 
had  rare  tact  in  finding  the  points  at  which  they  may  best 
be  approached  and  interested.  She  has  made  the  instruc- 
tion in  their  schools  practical.  She  has  traveled  long  miles 
on  horseback  to  visit  them  and  know  them  better.     One 


234  Heroes  of  the  Faith  Leswn 

of  the  most  marvelous  things  about  her  is  her  patience.     She 
never  gives  up. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  STUDY. 

1.  Read  the  narratives  given  above,  and  then  see  what 
you  can  find  out  about  these  characters  elsewhere,  or  about 
any  other  heroic  examples  of  womanhood.  An  account  of 
Jane  Addams'  life  is  published  in  the  American  Magazine^ 
beginning  with  the  number  for  April,  1910.  The  work  of 
Maud  Ballington  Booth  is  described  in  Good  Words,  vol. 
xlvi  (1905),  pp.  641ff.  Information  concerning  Clara  Bar- 
ton may  be  found  in  the  Chautauquan,  vol.  xxii,  pp.  725ff, 
and  concerning  Estelle  Reel  (now  Mrs.  Meyer)  in  Good  House- 
keeping, for  April,  1910. 

2.  Can  you  think  of  any  woman  who  has  done  things  that 
are  greater  than  those  accomplished  by  some  of  these  women? 

3.  What  fine  traits  of  character  are  illustrated  by  the  women 
mentioned  in  this  lesson? 

4.  What  ought  to  be  the  ideal  of  life  held  by  every  woman 
of  education  and  culture  and  leisure  ? 

5.  What  chances  do  you  see  for  real  service  and  heroic 
living  on  the  part  of  the  women  and  girls  of  your  own  com- 
munity? 

NOTE-BOOK  WORK. 

6.  Write  out  a  short  story  of  any  particular  heroine  whom  you 
admire,  either  from  those  mentioned  in  this  lesson  or  any  other  of 
whom  you  know. 

7.  Or  write  a  little  sketch  of  the  worthy  things  that  women  have 
done  in  public  life. 

MEMORY  WORK. 

Learn  Prov.  31:10-29. 


forty^ght  Revtew  oj  LessoKs  37-47  235 

Lesson  48.     REVIEW  OF  LESSONS  37-47. 

With  this  lesson  we  end  our  series  of  studies  on  heroes  of 
the  Faith,  during  which  we  have  become  somewhat  better 
acquainted  with  a  number  of  men  and  women  all  of  whom 
had  something  in  their  characters  that  is  heroic.  We  have 
seen  that  heroism  is  made  up  of  various  qualities,  that  it 
includes  gentleness  as  well  as  strength,  and  that  it  has  to 
do  with  peace  as  well  as  war,  home  and  private  life  as  well 
as  public  affairs.  In  this  final  review  it  will  be  well  to  gather 
up  the  impressions  that  we  have  received,  and  make  up  our 
minds  as  to  just  what  makes  a  heroic  character.  And  this 
should  lead  to  the  question  in  the  mind  of  each  one:  In 
what  way  can  I  make  my  own  character  more  heroic? 

1.  Make  a  list  of  the  characters  studied  in  this  quarter, 
with  a  sentence  after  each  name  expressing  the  trait  or  deed 
that  you  like  best  in  the  story  of  his  or  her  life. 

2.  Name  (a)  the  man,  (h)  the  woman  whose  character  as 
a  whole  you  like  best  in  the  entire  series  of  studies,  and  give 
the  reason  for  your  choice  in  each  case. 

3.  What  qualities  or  traits  of  character  go  to  make  up  your 
ideal  of  a  Christian  hero  or  heroine? 

4.  Tell  of  any  incidents  or  deeds  in  everyday  life,  of  which 
you  have  heard,  that  seem  to  you  heroic. 

5.  Name  any  men  or  women,  not  included  in  this  series  of 
studies,  whom  you  consider  heroes  or  heroines  of  the  Faith. 


# 


^iuu^mm iII'mm.'°t!'^^'  Seminary  Libraries 


1    1012  01231    1249 


Date  Due 

r  27*j 

^ 

1 

0    19  •3« 

N  30  '3 

» 

h'     ' 

" 

^ 

